Government wins key vote on Hausner plan for pensions

On Friday, the Sejm voted to support one of the key planks of the Hausner plan. Thanks to changes in the principles of pensions indexation the budget may save about zł.8.9 billion between 2005-2007. Deputies decided that pensions will only rise when the cumulated inflation reaches 5%, which means that in real terms indexation will take place about every three years. The new rules will enter force from next year, when people aged 75 and above will receive a pension increase of zł.40 per month. In favor of the law were the coalition parties and the Civic Platform (PO). The other opposition parties supported the version recommended the day before by the special Sejm commission dealing with Hausner plan, which suggested that indexation should take place when accumulated inflation reached 3%. (Parkiet, pp. 1, 7) A.F.