Romanian Military Retirees Threaten Protests In Bucharest Over Recalculated Military Pensions

Union vice-president Valeriu Pricina said Monday protesters will march from the Victoria Palace to the headquarters of the Interior Ministry, the Defense Ministry and the Romanian Intelligence Service on the day celebrating the union of the Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia. He said protesters also want to leave on a march to the presidential palace if they get authorization.

About 400 Romanian military retirees protested Monday morning outside the Constanta Prefecture's headquarters in southeastern Romania over the Government decision recalculating military pensions. One of the protesters tried to break through security lines towards the prefecture building but was immobilized by gendarmes and transported to a police station.

Military and police retirees Friday 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.

The country's new pension law recalculates pensions taking into account the paid pension contributions. Authorities said the new law eliminates special pension systems.

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