Croats protest the government's plan to increase the retirement age
Croats protest the government's plan to increase the retirement age
ZAGREB (Reuters) - Several thousand people protested in the Croatian capital on Saturday over plans by the government to raise the retirement age to 67 years and reduce pensions for those who retire early.
This week, the government asked parliament to pass legislation that will lift the retirement age of 65 years from 2033, defending the reform as a step in efforts to make the pension system sustainable.
The bill also includes a proposal to reduce the pensions of people who stop working before reaching retirement age by approximately four percent per year.
"There is a lot of misery and bitterness in us. Is not such an irresponsible retirement proposal for our workers and retirees? "Kresimir Sever, one of the leaders of the unions that organized the protest, told the crowd gathered in the center of Zagreb.
Some of the protesters shouted "Ladrones" and many carried placards accusing the government of impoverishing retirees and workers. "From school to unemployment, from work to the cemetery," read one of the posters.
Workers representing metalworkers, nurses and other professions took turns addressing the demonstration, saying they can not work until they are 67 years old.
"I work under the rain and the burning sun. My legs and my back have to carry hundreds of overloaded garbage bins every day. "I already had surgery on one knee, the other will have to be treated soon," a worker at a waste collection and disposal company, who said his name was Elvis, told the meeting.
Union leaders say the new law would especially hurt older employees, who are often under pressure to retire earlier for health reasons or because employers want to get rid of older staff. They have also pointed out that Croats have a shorter life expectancy than people in many other countries of the European Union.
The unions have pledged to launch a campaign to call for a national referendum on the proposed pension reform if the government rejects their demands to scrap the plan.
For a referendum to be held, the supporters of the ballot must collect the signatures of 10 percent of the electorate, equivalent to approximately 375,000 people.
Analysts and economic researchers say that Croatia can not make its pension system sustainable in the long term without raising the retirement age.
Igor Ilic report; Edited by Helen Popper
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