02 June 2011, 15:19
Mykola Tomenko: Authorities will trade Increase of the Retirement Age for IMF Funding
Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, stated that opposition factions would not vote for the revised bill on pension reform, since its concept has not been changed. M. Tomenko made the foregoing statement at the briefing in the Parliament.
Discussing the new version of the bill on pension reform, M. Tomenko admitted, "There are some changes in the finalized bill." Thus, he deems it positive that the Cabinet of Ministers has finally followed the governmental initiative to restrict the 'elite' pensions, which was suggested when he was Deputy Prime Minister. However, M. Tomenko stressed, "The bill nevertheless increases retirement age for women and gradually raises retirement age for men." "Since it is a fundamental concern for us, the opposition will not uphold the bill", he added.
M. Tomenko believes that the bill might be adopted, especially in view of numerous declarations of governmental officials regarding cooperation with IMF and implementation of its requirements to receive funds. "Thus, I am convinced that governmental approach in this issue is the following: IMF funds in exchange for increasing the retirement age for our citizens", M. Tomenko summed up.