Economists question government one-off pensions move

Leading domestic economists say the Czech government’s plan for a special one-off old-age pension measure is unsystematic. Speaking on Czech Television on Sunday pensions expert Danuše Nerudová, ex-central bank chief Jiří Rusnok and former National Budgetary Council member Richard Hindls all questioned the wisdom of a move under which there would a one-time adjustment to the index-linking of pensions.

Mrs. Nerudová said it did not make sense to introduce a one-off measure.

The opposition parties ANO and Freedom and Direct Democracy have said they will use all possible means to block a vote on the matter, including major filibustering.

Mr. Rusnok said if they succeed in preventing the move going through the state debt would grow by tens of billions of crowns.