Government’s decision on old-age pensions criticized by senators

The government’s decision to reduce the regular indexation of old-age pensions guaranteed by law to make up for inflation may hit the rocks in the Senate, the news site Seznam reported on Friday. The government on Monday approved a bill, which would enable the cuts, under a state of legislative emergency, provoking a storm from the opposition benches and criticism from some economists. Although the ruling coalition has a solid majority in both chambers, some senators from the governing parties, say the move is unconstitutional –both because there was no justification to approve it under a state of legislative emergency and the fact that it would be enforced retroactively so as to save money this year.