Ljubljana - The coalition has filed an amendment to the proposed legislative changes with which the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) wishes to raise pensions by 3.5%. In line with the amendment, only pensions granted by the end of 2010 would increase by 3.5%, while those granted in 2011 would go up by 1.7% and all others by 1%.

Also raised by 1% would be minimum pensions, guaranteed pension and the minimum amount of disability pension.

The additional pension raise proposed by the coalition would be implemented on 1 January.

The National Assembly is to discuss the proposed amendment at an emergency session requested by the Democrats (SDS), New Slovenia (NSi), and the Modern Centre Party (SMC), which filed the amendment, as well as DeSUS, the National Party (SNS), the two minority MPs and unaffiliated MP Mateja Udovč.

The college of deputy group leaders will decide on Tuesday whether the session will be held on 13 January as proposed.

DeSUS has proposed the pension rise "to make up for the too low pensions during the economic crisis".

However, the ZPIZ public pension and disability fund has calculated that the deficit from the economic crisis could only be felt by those who retired by the end of 2010 (by 3.5%) and those who retired in 2011 (by 1.7%).

After pensions were raised as part of regular adjustment in January last year by just 2.5% and not 3.5% because of calculations of the average wage growth due to the epidemic, the deficit is now higher by another percentage point. Those who retired last year also receive 1% lower pensions for that reason.

The coalition parties used these calculations as the basis for their amendment. According to ZPIZ, EUR 145 million would need to be secured for the implementation of the amendment annually.

According to the Ministry of Labour, the Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, the coalition-sponsored amendment would do away with the delays in adjusting pensions, while DeSUS's proposal would keep the inequalities among pensioners who did not retire at the same time.

The last time pensions were raised outside the regular adjustments was in December 2020, when they went up by 2%.