Prague, Aug 26 (CTK) – The Czech government ANO movement denies its promises from the 2013 election programme by its refusal to set the maximum retirement age, Prime Minister and Social Democrats (CSSD) chairman Bohuslav Sobotka told reporters today.
The CSSD proposes that the retirement age ceiling be put at 65 years, but Deputy PM, Finance Minister and ANO head Andrej Babis has rejected the proposal.
The government coalition council will deal with the issue next week.
“ANO respects neither the coalition agreement nor its own election programme,” Sobotka said.
ANO had the retirement age ceiling in its election platform with which it was running for the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of parliament, in 2013, he pointed out.
Babis previously called the CSSD’s proposal for the maximum retirement age populist.
The government of the CSSD, ANO and Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) postponed the debate on the issue for two weeks on Wednesday.
Sobotka said he hoped the coalition partners would reach consensus eventually. He added that he would not like “a power vote” in the cabinet in which the CSSD and the KDU-CSL would outvote ANO.
The smallest government party, the KDU-CSL, commented on the maximum retirement age rather reservedly.
“I think the issue is overestimated. Further governments can change it. We will tray to find a compromise,” Deputy PM and KDU-CSL chairman Pavel Belobradek said
Sobotka and Senate chairman Milan Stech (CSSD) also point out that the 65-year retirement age is applied in Belgium, Britain, Denmark, Estonia, Italy, Spain and Switzerland.
The retirement age has been rising in the Czech Republic yearly – by two months for men and by four months for women, and it should eventually reach the same level for both genders, born after 1971.
At present, men can retire at the age of over 63, childless women at the age of 62 and women with children earlier, based on the number of their children.
The Labour and Social Affairs Ministry has proposed that the age limit be 65 for all born after 1971. But the ceiling of 67 years has also been discussed. If the government agreed on this alternative, it would be apply to all born after 1977.
