Protests against raising the retirement age in the Czech Republic. Photo: OS KOVO.
Communist and other working-class movements in the Czech Republic have intensified their campaign against plans by the government led by Petr Fiala to raise the retirement age in the country. Last week, the leadership of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) submitted a petition to the House of Representatives petitions committee protesting raising the retirement age to his 68. The committee will discuss the petition on April 25 and will set a date for a hearing on the petition.
KSCM launched an online petition on February 20 against the government’s plan to raise the retirement age.protest Held in the capital Prague, it was organized by opposition parties such as KSCM and trade unions. OS Cobo.
retirement Year in the Czech Republic reliance Employee’s date of birth, gender and number of children (if female). Those born before 1936 will retire at 60 for men and 53-57 for women. Retirement age for a person born between 1936 and her 1971 is 62 to 65 for men and 55 years 8 months to 65 for women (depending on the number of children raised). ). The retirement age for those born after 1971 is 65.
The conservative coalition is reportedly envisioning pension reforms to “fix” holes in the country’s budget, similar to how French President Emmanuel Macron raised the retirement age in France from 62 to 64. increase. plan The retirement age for those currently under 34 will be raised to 68, and those currently in their 50s will retire at 66, as formulated by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs led by Secretary Marian Yulechka in February this year. . 67 years old and in his 40s.
Opponents of the reform say that if the retirement age is raised, the Czech Republic will have the highest retirement age in Europe. KSCM cites the following data in its petition “Stop 68”: Eurostat, said The average age of good health in the Czech Republic is 62.5 for women and 60.9 for men.
The reform is expected to save the government up to 0.3% of annual GDP, or CZK 20 billion (US$940 million). In the Czech Republic, pensions are indexed to the rate of inflation. Last year, his pension was raised three times due to a spike in inflation. By the end of January 2023, the average national old-age pension will be reached CZK 19,438 (US$ 909), projected to increase further by CZK 1,770 (US$ 82.82) by June 2023. cut This amount will rise to 760 CZK (35.56 USD) in a parliamentary vote in March.
Large-scale protests are currently raging across the country. France He opposes President Macron’s pension reforms.In the Czech Republic, people are protesting the cost of living crisis Characterized by soaring and rising energy prices inflation (16.72% in February 2023), the government has supported the war effort in Ukraine. Czech communists and the Czech Peace Movement (CMH) organized several organizations. mobilization Oppose the government’s decision to arm Ukraine and support NATO operations.
On the other hand, the monthly average wholesale power consumption is price Domestic electricity has fallen from crisis peak levels (from €476.73 / USD 522.31 per kWh in August 2022 to €134.81 / USD 147.70 per kWh in January 2023), but its price remains at just 56.16. It should be noted that EUR/US$ 61.53 in Jan 2021.
Roman Roun, head of the petitions committee and KSCM media representative, said: said In the first week of April, “In its program statement for January 2022, the anti-social right-wing government of Petr Fiara committed to presenting a pension reform proposal by the end of 2023. We do not discuss this issue openly with the opposition or with our social partners, which is why we have decided to ask citizens to sign on this issue, which government representatives are talking about in a rather contradictory way in the media. is.”
* with input from L.Uvos Petrichekformer chairman Prague Youth Communist (MK) Committee of KSCM.
