Romanian members of Parliament called back from holiday to modify Special Pensions Law

Romanian prime minister Marcel Ciolacu recently announced that members of the Parliament will be called back from their vacation for an extraordinary session to modify the Special Pensions Law in accordance with the objections of the Constitutional Court.

"Next week, we will convene the Parliament in an extraordinary session to modify the Special Pensions Law in accordance with CCR's objections. I am asking the minister of justice to formulate the amendments contested by the Court regarding the service pensions of magistrates. It is absolutely necessary for this law to come into effect as soon as possible so that Romania can access the European funds from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). We cannot afford to lose European funds because of special pensions!" the PM wrote on Facebook.

The day before, the Constitutional Court admitted the referral from the High Court of Cassation and Justice (ICCJ) regarding the changes to the law on service pensions. CCR president Marian Enache explained in a press statement that the normative act will return to Parliament to be aligned with the Court's decision.

"The criticized law introduces taxation, but does not clearly establish the tax base, which is contrary to the requirements of the quality of the law," said Enache, cited by Digi24. The president of CCR further specified that the institution he heads "has also noted that taxation cannot have a punitive character because it practically leads to a reconsideration and indirect restructuring of the very basis of the calculation of the service pension."

The reform of service pensions is included as a milestone in the PNRR, and the allocation of funds from this plan depends on achieving the objective.

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