According to Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS), the negative attitude of the ANO opposition movement towards negotiations with the government on pension reform is a problem for society and irresponsible towards the people. In an interview with ČTK, Fiala also responded to ANO vice-chairman Karel Havlíček’s statement to Seznam Zprávy that the movement would cancel the pension changes after the elections. The Cabinet is open to opposition proposals that would improve the reform, Fiala added, even during deliberations in the House of Representatives.
At the end of April, ANO announced that it would not continue negotiations of a strategic nature in the economic and social spheres with the government, even with the participation of President Petr Pavel. Before that, the movement canceled its participation in the repeated meeting at the Castle on the pension reform with government representatives led by Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Marian Jurečka (KDU-ČSL). ANO criticizes the pension amendment, and rejects, among other things, the planned increase in the retirement age above 65 based on life extension.
Fiala admitted that the lack of agreement with the opposition means a problem for the amendment. According to him, however, the irresponsible behavior of ANO is a problem for the company. The movement has already canceled an attempt at reform introduced by the government of Petr Nečas (ODS), he said. “They canceled it without a refund and let it go. Then they said they would do a pension reform, they put it on the agenda, they didn’t do one and they didn’t come up with anything,” Fiala told ČTK. Now ANO has again not come up with anything and, moreover, refused to act with the president, which is not done, he added.
According to him, the behavior of ANO shows that the movement does not care at all what will happen to this country, it only cares about votes. “Obviously, this is not good news for the company. We set some rules, people prepare for them, and then someone wants to cancel it. The best answer is not to allow the ANO movement to win the elections and not be able to repeat such irresponsible actions,” added Fiala.
In this election period, the government has already had to firmly schedule a vote in the House of Representatives for several regulations due to obstructions. “We always leave enough time for all the arguments to be heard, the decision of the Constitutional Court finally showed that,” said Fiala. According to Fiala, the opposition will get enough time to express themselves this time as well.
The cabinet is also open to debate on the content of the amendment. “We don’t think at all that we have a patent on the mind, that someone can’t come up with an idea that will be good. The pension reform was made very carefully after long discussions, we took into account the opinions of experts, all of that is reflected in it. But if the opposition came with some improving proposals, they were interested in participating, so we are still open to that,” he said. However, there is no indication yet that ANO is planning something like that, he pointed out.
The government approved the pension reform bill on Tuesday. The amendment envisages increasing the retirement age above 65 according to life extension, reducing the calculation of new pensions, a minimum pension of 20 percent of the average wage or an earlier pension for work in a risky environment. According to the plan, the changes should come into effect gradually from next year. Fiala stated that the reform is necessary and will ensure a dignified pension even for people in their thirties and forties.
