Romania To Lobby EU On Cutting Pension Costs From Budget

„We believe that without this approach, we would face difficulties in ensuring resources for our own development (…). It would be unfair for countries that try to implement a modern system, with private pension funds, to be punished for adopting this modern system,” Basescu said during a joint news conference with his Polish counterpart, Bronislaw Komorowski.

In August, nine EU countries, including Romania and Poland, have asked the authorities in Brussels to consider excluding pension reform costs from the deficit and debt calculations.

„I believe we’ll be able to get a significant majority so that the issue will be seriously discussed by the European Council. Anyway, Poland and Romania will support this approach to have the pension deficit excluded from the state budget deficit,” Basescu said.

Komorowski, who arrived in Bucharest Monday for a two-day visit, said in his turn that the European Union should support pension reforms and a favorable decision to cut the costs from the deficit and public debt would give member states a positive signal to continue reforms.