Vizjak announced a final meeting with social partners for Monday and the signing of an agreement on the reform on Tuesday, when parliament is also scheduled to take a vote on the changes which among other things raise retirement age to 65 years or to 40 years of service.

He explained that one of the provisions being negotiated are the bonuses for additional years of service and that the government was ready to up the rewards.

Another open issue is the government-sponsored provision abolishing the inclusion of time spent for studies into pensionable years of service, which the trade unions want to be implemented gradually.

A third item on the agenda for Monday are pensions for high-risk professions, where Vizjak sees a solution in a uniform approach to those entitled to such pensions.

The talks on the reform continued today after the National Assembly unanimously sent the reform bill to third reading on Thursday. The bipartisan support came after some of the provisions most contentious for unions as well as the coalition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) were scrapped from the proposal.