​An informal dialogue with the European Commission on the reform of the law on special pensions with PNRR should take place this month, and the deadline by which we are obliged to have our point of view is 31 December 2022, said Marcel Bolosh, Minister of Investments and European Projects (MIPE). “We have a deadline that we will meet because we have to have a position on this milestone, whether it’s white or black,” Bolosh said.

• “Of course, there were discussions at the level of the Government and the Coalition on this issue. The view has been expressed that we have a milestone that has some meaning for special pensions, and we have occupational pensions and retirement pensions in national legislation.
• At the order of the Prime Minister, this working group was created in order for this milestone to have all the necessary justifications for discussion with the European Commission.
• We will have an informal dialogue with the European Commission this month and then in the following months until the approval of the regulation that the Commission has developed and which is in the process of approval by the Parliament, and at the right time we will provide you with the necessary information,” Minister Marcel Bolosh said on Thursday.

The list of stages and target indicators in the PPRR, which will be the subject of negotiations, will be approved by the Government

The minister noted that according to the European Commission’s regulations, when there are conditions and objective circumstances for a change of stage, the member state presents these conditions, and the European Commission decides whether these circumstances are justified for a change of stage and makes a decision.

“Now it is too early to say what the solution will be,” he said.

Responding to the question of what changes Romania will request for this milestone, Marcel Bolosh avoided an unequivocal answer.

• “The list of milestones and targets in the PNRR that will be negotiated will be approved by the Government and once this mandate is approved we will be able to discuss more. I would not want to slow down the whole negotiation process with the EC because they are looking at the discussions in the public space. Let’s see what the mandate we will receive from the Government will be to agree on the main stages and goals,” Bolosh said.

Then the Minister was asked whether the Government has any answer from the European Commission regarding military pensions, to what extent they will be subject to special pensions and what is the interpretation of the European Commission.

“At the moment, this milestone has only been discussed in the public space, so the EC has not had an answer and, as I said, the deadline by which we have to have a view is 31 December 2022. We will have this deadline, which we will respect, because we must have a position on this milestone, regardless of whether it is white or black,” said Marcel Bolosh.

Bolosh about the percentage of 9.4% of total spending on pensions of GDP: either we refuse injustice or we cancel the ceiling of 9.4%

Regarding the discussions related to the 9.4% of GDP cap on total pension payments currently accepted in the PNRR, Bolosh said:

• “Here, the main problem and my personal opinion is that since within the framework of the stage we proposed to eliminate social inequality, and this elimination of inequality requires the allocation of an additional budget due to the possible recalculation of pensions, it is self-evident that either the limitation or the elimination of inequality.
• So the milestone needs to be cleared one way or another. Either we will give up on injustice, or we will abolish the ceiling of 9.4%. It cannot be implemented because the information in the stage contradicts itself,” the minister said.

What are the delays and what does Romania risk if by the end of the year all the commitments made through the PNRR are not fulfilled

The minister did not want to say whether there are delays in the milestones and targets related to the third quarter of this year, which were proposed by Prime Minister Chuke to be completed by September 15.

“The prime minister set a deadline of September 15 as the deadline for the implementation of the main tasks and goals. On Monday, we have a meeting of the interdepartmental committee, then we will make an assessment with what we have as documents collected from the coordinators of reforms and investments, and I think that there will be relevant information at the level of the Government,” Bolosh said.

What does Romania risk if all the commitments made through the PNRR are not fulfilled by the end of the year?

“There are a number of reforms that are considered red lines from the point of view of the European Commission. There are 2 rules: the reform rule, for which we have a red line and without which you can block the PNRR, so there is this option. And the second option, where an unfulfilled milestone means that part of the payment request has not been transferred, not paid to the Member State where the PNRR is going. Therefore, we have to be very careful,” said the minister.