Declic community protest in Victoriei Square: Cut special pensions

The Declic grassroots movement staged on Friday a choreographed protest in Bucharest's Victoriei Square, with approximately 100 people unfurling three 30-meter-long banners that read "Cut special pensions". The Declic community is calling on the government to finalize the bill that scraps retirement benefits that are not duly covered by contributions to the pension pot. "At this moment, the Citu Government is defaulting on its own governing program, indefinitely dragging its feet on the cut of special pensions. While some 'special retirees' pocket 75,000 lei (about 15,200 euros) per month, 4.9 million pensioners live on just 1,500 lei (roughly 305 euros), and the lowest pension in Romania is 750 lei (152 euros). We cannot look away from the hypocrisy of the government that does not slash luxury pensions, but informs us that there is no money to increase allowances or pensions for decades-long contributors to the public pension system," said campaign coordinator Catalina Hoparteanu. According to Declic, the decision to protest in front of the government's seat with a message that is also visible from high above comes after several advertising companies refused to display the "Cut special pensions" slogan on billboards, on grounds that it did not have the approval of the local authorities. The action is part of the "Scrap Special Pensions" campaign that gathered the signatures of more than 127,000 citizens. AGERPRES (RO - author: Mihai Stoica, editor: Mihai Simionescu; EN - editor: Simona Klodnischi)