Labour Minister submits proposal to increase pensions for ex-dissidents

Labour and Social Affairs Minister Marian Jurečka has submitted a proposal that would increase old-age pensions for former dissidents from next year if it is approved by the government on Wednesday. The bill foresees people who have a certificate of resistance against communism receiving the nationwide average pension, which would mean an increase for hundreds of people.

Many former dissidents who stood up to the communist regime are now living on very low pensions as a result of low incomes due to being imprisoned, forced into exile, or not being allowed to go to university and instead being made to work menial jobs for low pay. Since pensions are calculated based on lifetime earnings, for many dissidents this had a huge impact on the pensions they would later receive.

Former dissident and Charter 77 signatory Jiří Gruntorád went on hunger strike last month over the ongoing problem of low pensions for former dissidents and was later joined by fellow ex-dissident John Bok. They ended their protest after the government ordered the Labour Ministry to prepare a proposal to correct the problem by mid-December.