LMP seeks same growth-based premium for all pensioners

Opposition LMP wants to submit a bill to parliament that would ensure all pensioners get the same growth-based premium, the deputy head of the party’s parliamentary group said at a press conference on Sunday.

At present, only pensioners who get 80,000 forints (EUR 247) a month or more will get the full 18,000 forint growth-based premium this year, Erzsébet Schmuck said.

Hungarians who get pensions under that threshold will see their premiums cut proportionately, thus a pensioner who gets 50,000 forints a month will be awarded a premium of just 11,250 forints, she explained.

She estimated that more than half a million pensioners would not get the full 18,000 forint growth-based premium.

Schmuck also complained that the premium is only paid when Hungary’s annual economic growth reaches 3.5 percent.

This year, Hungary’s economic growth is seen reaching 4.4 percent. Last year, when GDP growth reached 4.1 percent, pensioners were awarded a 12,000 forint premium.

Source: MTI