The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr Janez Janša, today received representatives of the Pension and Disability Insurance Institute of the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovenian Federation of Pensioners’ Organisations ’in order to discuss options for improving the social position and social inclusion of pensioners.

 

(Photo: Kristina Kosec/Bobo)

 

The Prime Minister said that so far the Government had adopted a number of measures to improve the social position of pensioners, with a view to ensuring that future generations of pensioners have better conditions than the generation of people already retired. “Considering this long-term cooperation, solidarity between generations is vital,” stressed the Prime Minister.

 

PM Janez Janša pointed out that, at the beginning of its term of office, the Government had corrected the mistake made in the past and ensured that pensions would be index-linked to salaries. “Similarly, with the latest adjustments to the indexation of pension support, the Government has ensured that the majority of pensioners, who live on the minimum income threshold, are better off thanks to regular indexation.” At the same time, the Government is also looking into certain measures that could be implemented in the context of reducing public spending.

 

One of the other items discussed at today’s meeting was the problem of pensioners’ social inclusion. “We have agreed to adopt a number of practical measures enabling the greater social inclusion of elderly people as well as greater use of their extensive knowledge in order to achieve national objectives. This is a generation which has considerable knowledge and potential, and it would be a great shame to write people off the day they retire,” said PM Janez Janša after the meeting, when he also presented the Government’s plans for tackling the shortage of space in senior citizens’ retirement homes.