site.btaNew Republic Promises Average Pension of Up to Lv 700 in One Term

New Republic Promises Average Pension of Up to Lv 700 in One Term

Sofia, February 10 (BTA) - The New Republic is planning a significant rise in pensions to an average of 700 leva a month within the government four-year term, based on the "higher contributions, higher pensions" principle.

New Republic, which styles itself a supra-partisan platform, presented its programme on Friday. Its spokesman, Traicho Traikov, said that "a strong State is built by effective institutions". Leader Radan Kanev said the cost of the programme would be announced next week when its economic plank is published.

Teachers' salaries will increase by 20 per cent in the first year depending on the quality of teaching and external assessment, and will double within four years. Kanev said the education measures would be debt-financed if necessary, because this is "a self-recouping investment".

The platform envisages keeping the low tax rates and increasing the real responsibilities and budgets of municipalities. From the third year onwards, the municipalities will keep 50 per cent of the profits tax revenue and public social insurance contributions.

New Republic will work towards unified e-government as a means of communication among all state and local institutions. Administrative staff promotions will be based on merit, not on party membership, said Villi Lilkov. Thus the staffers' salaries will increase by about 30 per cent depending on performance. In the third year New Republic will propose to Parliament a serious administrative reform, including mergers of municipalities and significant changes in the capital.

The platform's priorities include a radical, adequate judicial reform. An operation Clean Hands will be carried out in the special services, the prosecution service and the court, said Peter Slavov. The programme also envisages accountability of the top prosecutors to Parliament, revocation of the recently adopted National Bodyguard Service Act, and changes and passage of the anti-corruption bill which was not adopted by the previous Parliament.

The environment is another key component of the programme, which plans preservation of the last pristine beaches and forests through the Natura 2000 EU-wide conservation network. The platform also sets a priority on eco fuels and a modern system of heating allowances for disadvantaged households.

Defence spending will increase gradually and salaries in the armed forces will rise by about 10 per cent a year. The platform will insist on the adoption of a 20-year national defence strategy, said Boris Stanimirov. The Energy Union as a way of ensuring Bulgaria's national security and independence will be put on the EU agenda. Sofia and Bucharest will work towards the two countries' entry in Schengen and the euro zone.