site.btaCITUB Organizes National Protest March against Planned Retirement Age Increase

CITUB Organizes National
Protest March against
Planned Retirement Age Increase


Sofia, December 11 (BTA) - The Confederation of Independent
Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) started on Thursday a national
protest march against the planned retirement age increase of
four months starting January 1, 2015. The protest is staged
under the slogan "We Will not Pay for Others Mistakes" and
started from Sofia's Macedonia Square, where the trade unions'
headquarters are located. The protest also demands corrections
in the 2015 National Budget Bill and tax legislation.

The protesters are carrying signs that read "We do not want
life-long labour for miserable pensions", "Reforms for higher
pensions only".

The march will continue to the Council of Ministers building,
where a declaration will be handed to the Prime Minister. After
this, the protesters will head to Parliament to present their
demands to its Chair.

The TU declaration demands the reinstatement of the previously
revoked right of people who work for minimum wage to get their
taxes returned. It further calls for the immediate adoption of a
statutory rule that criminalizes social insurance contributions
evasion. CITUB demands that a tax on financial transactions is
introduced, which would generate an additional budget revenue of
200 million leva. The protesters want the January 1, 2015
retirement age increase repealed. They also call for long-term
measures for the pension reform's development, which are
supported by as much public and political consensus as possible.
PK/MY



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