Special pensions, pending reform

The parliamentary session that started yesterday promises to be a busy one for the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, due to the legislative reforms that must be adopted in order to receive the funding allocated through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, but also through the lens of other topics on the public agenda for resolution, such as it would be, for example, the sanctioning of those who drive under the influence of alcoholic beverages or drugs by confiscating the vehicle or removing from the localities or moving the spaces that host gambling games to their outskirts.

Among the priorities of the parliamentary session is the law on special pensions, which must be agreed with the decision of the Constitutional Court, as well as other projects necessary to fulfill the milestones in the PNRR, such as the law on single pay in the budget system and the law on public pensions.

The situation is complicated if we take into account the fact that out of the total of 49 milestones and targets in the PNRR, which have the deadline of March 2023 and June 2023, by the end of the first parliamentary session, which ended on June 30, only 10 had been met milestones and targets, while 39 were overdue, which means that the Bucharest authorities this year ticked only one fifth of the objectives assumed for the first semester.

Among the benchmarks and targets for this year, the implementation of which is delayed, include: amending the Fiscal Code in order to reduce and/or eliminate other tax incentives with the aim of simplifying the tax system, making it more efficient, transparent and fairer; the expansion of ecological taxation; amending the law on the pension system; adoption of the Strategy regarding naval transport; the implementation of the main recommendations to increase the financial and operational performance of CNAIR, CNIR, CFR SA, CFR Călători and Metrorex; the new legal framework regarding the remuneration of civil servants (the law on unitary remuneration).

The PSD also announced that it will come up with several projects to combat drug use, following the May 2 tragedy, which will be discussed as an emergency. PSD representatives are also going to come up with several projects to tighten the sanctions applied to drivers who get behind the wheel drunk or drugged, among the proposals are the cancellation of the right to drive for at least ten years or even confiscation of the vehicle driven by a driver drugged or drunk. The social democrats also want the adoption of a draft law signed by 88 PSD parliamentarians, aimed at amending GEO 77/2009 on the organization and exploitation of gambling. The project provides for the closure of all spaces where gambling is carried out inside the localities. According to recent statistics, at least 15% of adults practice some form of gambling, and the incidence of gambling addiction in people over 18 is 0.6%, which is about 98,000 people.

There are more than 10,000 sports betting agencies and more than 70,000 machines, known as "pacanels", operating throughout the country.

And the representatives of the Opposition announced several projects in the fields of law, agriculture, health, fiscal facilities, but also the need to adopt a law on special pensions that would pass the Constitutional Court's filter.

The first month of the parliamentary session will test the unity of the governing coalition, because Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu wants to pass, by assuming the responsibility of the Government, the package of fiscal measures, necessary to reduce the budget deficit.

The representatives of the opposition have already announced that if the respective package foresees increases in fees and taxes, they will initiate a motion of no confidence. In order for that motion to pass, the favorable vote of 50% plus one of the number of parliamentarians is needed, i.e. 237 votes, which the parliamentary opposition cannot gather, unless some representatives of the PNL and the minority group also vote on their side. national.

In addition to the above, the parliamentarians will pass through the Legislative filter the emergency ordinances through which the Government will carry out the two budget corrections announced for this year, the first one to be adopted by the Ciolacu Cabinet during September.

At the same time, according to the legislation in force, by the end of the current year, the plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate must also adopt the state budget law for the year 2024, and the defense, national security and public order committees of the two Chambers must approve the programs of acquisitions regarding the endowment of the Army sent by the Ministry of National Defense.

With regard to military procurement, we note that on the Parliament's agenda is also the amendment of the law on the national defense industry, which also has provisions regarding the fulfillment of offset obligations by partners from the EU or NATO states of companies in our country.