Over 18,000 Romanian Military Pensions To Be Raised After Recalculation

More than 1,900 full-career military staff retirees earning pensions below 3,000 lei (EUR1=RON4.2626) will have their pensions raised, while 717 military pensions higher than RON3,000 will be raised and 642 will be reduced.

In the case of retirees with incomplete military careers (22,526 analyzed files), 15,104 pensions below RON3,000 will increase and 4,158 will be reduced, while 559 pensions higher than RON3,000 will be hiked and 2,705 will be cut.

Military and police retirees recently filed criminal complaints at the General Prosecution Office against Defense Minister Gabriel Oprea, Interior Minister Traian Igas and Romanian Intelligence Service chief George Maior, whom they accuse of abuse of office and discarding court rulings. Military staff and police officer unionists said their pensions were reduced by up to 60% after being recalculated. They said they submitted complaints with the Interior Ministry to determine authorities to renounce their decisions to recalculate pensions.

On January 7, the Romanian High Court of Justice ruled to suspend the application of a Government decision on recalculating the pensions of military staff, police officers and public servants with special status, who work in penitentiary administration. The High Court of Justice's decision is definitive and upholds a decision ruled by the Cluj Court of Appeals on September 28, 2010. Requests to have the Government decision suspended were also submitted with the Bucharest Court of Appeals, which ruled in favor of the requests on December 6, 2010.

On the other hand, Defense Ministry Financial Department chief Mariana Lupu said the court rulings suspending the Government decision on recalculating military staff pensions will apply only to those who challenged the decision.

Laid off military staff unionists said recently they will stage protests in capital Bucharest on January 24 disgruntled that authorities refuse to observe court rulings on recalculated military pensions.

About 400 Romanian military retirees protested Monday morning outside the Constanta County Hall in southeastern Romania over the Government decision recalculating military pensions.

If you liked this story, please follow MEDIAFAX.RO on FACEBOOK »

The content of mediafax.ro is for your information only. Republishing or using this content is forbidden without express consent of MEDIAFAX. For this consent, please ask for it by mail at vanzari@mediafax.ro.