New pension reform law 'gives Poles right to choose' says president

President Komorowski, Monday: photo - PAP/Jacek Turczyk

“It is easier for me to accept the final shape of the pension law, now that it gives Poles a chance to choose between [taking a partial pension] earlier, or [go on full pension] later,” Bronislaw Komorowski told the TVP public broadcaster last night.

Last week the Senate passed the new pension reform law which raises the retirement age to 67 for both men and women.

President Komorowski, in his TV interview, was referring to concessions that the junior coalition partner, the Polish Peasant's Party (PSL) won from the senior partner, Civic Platform, whereby Poles could take an earlier partial retirement, though at a reduced rate, if they had worked for a specified number of years.

The reform to raise the retirement age, to rectify, the government says, demographic changes in Poland whereby the ratio of the number of those working to those retired shifts as Polish society ages.

President Komorowski said that he will sign the bill into law “at the right time” after his lawyers have finished working on the project.

“But it will be my autonomous decision,” he added of a reform plan which has been bitterly opposed by opposition parties and trade unions.

Euro 2012 truce

Komorowski also expressed satisfaction that his appeal for political calm during the Euro 2012 appears to have been headed by the main opposition party, Law and Justice, after its leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski said last week that they would not be holding protest demonstrations against the pension reform plan and other government policies.

"This has clearly already been confirmed by the declarations of various politicians and trade unionists," Komorowski said.

My appeal for peace, to allow Poles to be able to enjoy the matches, has, in my opinion, been generally heard.” (pg)