You're reading: Tigipko pledges cut maximum size of pensions for current pensioners

Ukrainian Vice Premier and Social Policy Minister Sergiy Tigipko has said that the government is planning to reduce the maximum size of pensions for both future and current pensioners.

"We held a discussion and during each meeting people said: it’s good that you would limit the maximum size of pensions, but why do you do this only to new pensioners, why don’t you check the old ones? That’s why we propose to limit: the maximum size of a pension will amount to ten minimum pensions, instead of twelve, and this will affect both new and old pensioners," Tigipko told the Fifth Channel.

He noted that the Constitutional Court explained that it is impossible to reduce the maximum size of the pension under Article 22 of the constitution, but this issue should be considered under Article 24 on social equality for all Ukrainians.

"Of course we have an explanation of the Constitutional Court on the issue. They gave the explanation on the basis of Article 22 of the constitution, but there is another article of the constitution – Article 24 on social equality of all Ukrainians. Let’s look at [the issue] from this side, [and] I think that if I appeal to the Constitutional Court, I will do it on this basis," the social minister said.