European Funds Minister Adrian Cachiu said on Prima TV Wednesday night that all milestones and targets for the payment of Request 3 from the PNRR must be met by October 15. This means, among other things, the approval of the law on special pensions, News.ro reports.

According to the minister, failure to meet this milestone would be a failure, and the damage is estimated at 1.4 billion euros.

“The commitment we have made in the Government (…) is that all the stages and objectives related to the request for payment 3 will be ready on October 15. Most of them are on September 30,” Adrian Cachiu told Prima News on Wednesday evening.

When asked whether the Law on Special Pensions will be adopted by October 15, the minister said: “Yes, it should be. Payment Claim 3 does not include the Pensions Act, only seniority pensions, the Pensions Act falls under Payment Claim 4.’

Adrian Cachiu stated that there are 79 goals and milestones and 64 have been achieved.

“What worries everyone is that this long-term pension law was approved and promulgated by the President of Romania. This delayed us a lot,” the minister also said.

Also, when asked what will happen if the magistrates challenge the law again in the CCR, Adrian Cachiu said: “I think they also have to understand one thing – in the state there is a separation of behavior, but there is also solidarity between citizens and structures and professional categories regarding the state and regarding national interests. I think this is the moment when they should also understand (…) some things were agreed, the differences were very big (…) We want the law to be passed. If they challenge it again, I believe that amendments will be found that are in line with the KKR’s decision.”

The minister clarified that work is underway to harmonize all decisions of the KKR.

Adrian Caciu said that if this milestone is not reached, the losses for Romania are estimated at 1.4 billion euros.

“Then everything will be discussed, but I don’t want to think about this scenario (…) it’s a failure for Romania. We have some reforms – some may have been too cool for what Romanian society means, but this is one of the reforms that society is waiting for,” the Minister of European Projects also stated, according to News.ro.

Asked by Digi 24 on Monday evening whether the European Commission is demanding a 20% tax on special pensions in Romania, Finance Minister Marcel Bolos admitted that there is such pressure on the government in Bucharest.

Regarding special pensions, Çolaku said in response to a question that during meetings with European officials, “absolutely nothing concrete was discussed about the law on special pensions”, and experts will discuss this topic next week.

“The tax increase concerns special pensions from the part where there are no contributions. If we cannot apply retroactively and we cannot create social justice and there will be higher pensions than you had in the activity, I think there is no problem if it is increased for this category, given the decision of KOR, taxation is increased. This is my opinion as the leader of the Social Democratic Party,” Čolaku added.

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