Pensions of magistrates. Harsh reactions from USR and PNL, after Grindeanu met separately with the magistrates: “A nasty thing” / PSD insists on a subject that generated conflict in the coalition
The political leaders of the governing coalition. Photo: Lucian Alecu / Shutterstock Editorial / Profimedia
The PSD will again ask the governing coalition, in a meeting to be held on Tuesday, to establish a working group on magistrates' pensions, according to HotNews sources. The idea was rejected in the last meeting of the coalition, which caused Sorin Grindeanu to leave the room. Meanwhile, the PSD leader met separately with the representatives of the magistrates, being harshly criticized by USR and PNL.
The new meeting of the coalition will take place on Tuesday, at the government.
The leader of the USR senators, Ștefan Pălărie, accused on Monday, in a press statement from the Senate, that the PSD “practices a parallel government”.
Asked when he thinks the new project on the changes to magistrates' pensions will be ready, after the first version was rejected by the Constitutional Court on form, Pălărie said that at this moment only the coalition can decide what happens next.
“PSD consults with the magistrates as if this coalition were not there and proposes a solution that respects the interests of a part of society,” said the USR senator.
“I say it's a nasty thing. I'm convinced that our colleagues from the PSD will return to the coalition table. USR agrees to hold a dialogue, it does not agree to procrastinating reforms. Or as the UDMR deputy prime minister said, if you want to bury something, make a commission or a working group”, added USR senators' leader, Ștefan Pălărie, commenting on Friday's meeting of Sorin Grindeanu with the heads of judicial institutions.
“I don't think I do well in such separate endeavors”
The President of the Senate, Mircea Abrudean, from the PNL, said on Monday, also at the Senate, that he does not think that “such separate approaches are good, because when we decide something in the coalition, then the coalition should carry out these negotiations.”
Asked if the meeting on Friday of the interim president of the PSD, Sorin Grindeanu, with the representatives of the magistrates is a defiance to Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, Abrudean avoided an answer: “Of course Mr. Grindeanu can answer you.”
“I think it's not a political competition when talking about the reform of magistrates' pensions. I don't think we need to show that some are good and some are bad,” said Abrudean.
What changes could be made to the Bologna Law regarding magistrates' pensions
The modification version of the project that is currently being discussed provides for an increase in the amount of the pension to 75% of the last net salary received (compared to the 70% that is in the project refused by the CCR) and a transition period of 15 years, instead of 10, according to HotNews sources.
Sorin Grindeanu declared, on Monday, at the Parliament that he did not discuss such details in his Friday meeting with the magistrates, but only wanted to see that they were willing to send their representatives to a possible working group. Their answer was affirmative.
“The USR agrees to a form of dialogue. If there is a lower or higher percentage, these things are technical and they can be discussed. I would be happy if the representatives of the magistrates would come directly to the Government and propose justified changes”, Pălărie said on Monday.
“The fact that we have different approaches on an initially agreed topic is certainly not good for stability. The PNL will make a decision and communicate it. I think we must be consistent,” said Abrudean, when asked if the PNL would eventually support the formation of a working group.
About the changes regarding the amount of the magistrates' pension and the transition period, Abrudean said that anyway the amount of 70% is the highest in the EU, so he does not think it should be increased to 75%.
“It is a discussion that we will have in the party and the prime minister will present his point of view. The amount of 70% is the highest in the EU. During the transition period, some discussions can probably take place. I think that negotiations are always welcome, but they must take place properly, in the coalition,” said the president of the Senate.
“It will certainly be a new draft law, but there may be changes after discussions in the coalition. If it was wrong somewhere, we assume that it was wrong, but we do not change the principles from which we started. We are talking about equity, we are talking about a high amount of pensions anyway”, added Abrudean.
