The president of the Croatian Pensioners’ Union Jasna A. Petrović estimates that the July pension adjustment could amount to 7.11 percent, a high adjustment amount shows that wages are rising, although still insufficient considering inflation, and the real value of pensions is significantly lower.
Petrović stated in an interview for Hina that the union, considering that all data is still awaited, has made preliminary estimates of pension adjustments and expects that the adjustment will be at the level of 7.11 percent.
This increase will bring about 40 euros more to pensioners who have an average net pension of 580.83 euros, but Petrović warned that 60 percent of pensioners receive pensions below the average. Moreover, this average is actually at the level of 534.84 euros when military and veteran pensions are excluded, so the increase will be less for those pensioners.
After all statistical data on wages and prices are known, the Management Board of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (HZMO) will make a decision on pension adjustments at a meeting after August 20. This means that pensions will increase from July 1, but the difference in that increase will be paid in September, with the pension from August.
Petrović reminds that at the meeting of the National Council for Pensioners in November, it was agreed that the government would be proposed to change the provision on pension adjustments in the next amendment to the Pension Insurance Act from the current 70:30 in favor of a more favorable index of inflation or wage growth to 85:15, compared to the request that was 100 percent.
– It seems that Finance Minister Marko Primorac did not foresee this; he does not show much social sensitivity towards pensioners, so we fear that this year there will be nothing for pensioners, except for adjustments according to the current model – emphasized Petrović, also reminding of the signatures collected in the petition ‘Higher pensions now’.
