The government gives pensioners 5 euros of annual allowance. This applies to the lowest pensions. At the same time, the same government will now be rewarding the cultural elite, who already receive cash bonuses of 30,000 and 10,000 euros, respectively. And additionally, the government is raising existing taxes or introducing new ones. That is why the Slovenian Democratic Party (Slovenska demokratska stranka – SDS) has launched a procedure for a legislative referendum, announced MP Hoivik.
On Thursday, the 6th of February 2025, the Slovenian Democratic Party parliamentary group submitted signatures to launch the procedure for a legislative referendum on the law on the supplements to pensions for outstanding artistic achievements. This is to stop the granting of privileges to the select few. The news was presented to the media by SDS MP Andrej Hoivik. In total, more than 8,700 signatures have been collected.
In just seven days, they managed to collect one-fifth of the required (but for now still unverified) signatures. MP Hoivik called on all active citizens and taxpayers to take part in the collection of the required 40,000 signatures over the next month (starting at the end of next week). He invited people to come to the stalls in front of administrative units across Slovenia.
Only 5 euros extra for those with the lowest pensions!
Alternatively, they can add their signature in support of the petition via the E-Government web portal run by the Ministry for Digital Transformation. The signatures collected are proof that citizens want the referendum, where they can decide in line with the Constitution and the law. “Do they want to live in a country where the current government of Robert Golob is giving pensioners an allowance of five euros a year for 2025?”
We are talking about the lowest pensions. At the same time, the same government will be rewarding the cultural elite, who already receive cash prizes of 30,000 and 10,000 euros, respectively, alongside the Prešeren Prize or the Prešeren Fund Prize. “And now it’s up to you, honourable citizens …” MP Hoivik recalled that we are also in a time of “eager anticipation of the pension reform”.
The Left party is introducing fabulous allowances for the few!
And the government has rushed through a law on allowances precisely to put this law into effect before this pension reform, which would affect everyone, not just the select few. But all the indications are that we are going to be waiting for the pension reform for some time to come. The Left party (Levica), Hoivik said, writes something and then enacts the diametrically opposite. “In this case, it is about benefits for the elite, for the few, while at the same time, 99.99 percent of pensioners will receive nothing or very, very little!”
The SDS party will start an active campaign to collect 40,000 signatures next week, and then they will actively participate in the campaign, asking people whether they are in favour of the government adopting pension supplements, given that the government is raising the compulsory Radio-Television Slovenia contribution, the compulsory health insurance, while at the same time introducing a new long-term care tax, starting on the 1st of July 2025, and they are even threatening to introduce a new property tax. MP Hoivik made a polite appeal for everyone to come to the referendum, which is expected to take place in May.
Domen Mezeg
