I refer to the letter ImprovingThe Basic Pension System by Albert Cilia-Vincenti, chairman, Alliance of Pensioners’ Organisations (August 30).
I wish to make it clear that Alternattiva Demokratika is in full agreement with having a system of portability of pensions from one EU country to another. Indeed, as Greens we believe that basic social rights of citizens should not be lost simply because one changes residence and we are surely not in favour of discrimination among pensioners. If anything, it is the Nationalist and Labour parliamentarians who are in favour of such discrimination when they voted for massive increases of their own pensions!
AD is also not to blame if successive Nationalist and Labour governments have used national insurance funds for costs having nothing to do with the specific purpose of national insurance.
Indeed, as I argued in my article on August 20, AD believes in a pensions system which is socially just, yet, which is financially sustainable.
Leaving the pensions system as it is will result in financial ruin and impoverished pensioners in the future. We will not resort to populist and irresponsible proposals just to sound good.
Unfortunately, money does not fall from the sky. But the state can reform the system in a way which is as socially just and rewarding as possible.