PM Orban: Pensions, to increase depending on real possibilities

The government has as priority the payment of pensions and salaries and will increase the pensions, but only after a very serious analysis, depending on the real possibilities, so as to have the guarantee that they can be paid, Prime Minister Ludovic Orban stated on Wednesday night at the private broadcaster Realitatea Plus. "We have provided in the state budget the necessary amounts to ensure the increase of pensions, we will increase pensions, but the decision to increase pensions can be made only after a very serious analysis. We want to increase pensions, but at the same time we want to have the guarantee that pensions can be paid, because the road to hell is paved with good intentions. If you increase public income without financial resources and without the guarantee that you have the ability to pay either salaries or pensions, according to forecasts that we are not the only ones to carry out, but also other financial institutions, you risk doing only harm. After six months, in accordance with the law of fiscal-budgetary responsibility, we will have the half-yearly report on the evolution of the economy. We will also draw up the forecasts and consult all the forecasts made by the European Commission or other institutions (...) and we will make the decision according to the real, effective possibilities that we have," Orban said. "However, we certainly have as a priority the payment of pensions and salaries. This is fundamental. Believe me, it is an effort that is not very easy in the given economic conditions, especially since additional financial resources will be needed to be able to sustain the economy and to be able to secure the necessary capital in the economy in order to have a quick recovery in the economy and even development, additional resources are needed. I would say one more thing: anyone who criticizes the measures we have taken and especially the ones that we need to implement is an enemy of life, of people's health and above all, of the standard of living of the people. If we do not keep the epidemic under control, the economy will not be able to swiftly return to normalcy," said the prime minister.AGERPRES(RO - author: Alina Novaceanu, editor: Antonia Nita; EN - author: Simona Iacob, editor: Maria Voican)

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