An extraordinary session is held on February 25, 2020. (source: TASR)
Up to 1.4 million pensioners in Slovakia will receive a pension increase of several hundreds of euros this November.
MPs passed the proposal to introduce the 13th pensions in a fast-track procedure on February 25, just days before the 2020 parliamentary election. The draft was supported by 88 deputies. The special session, which started on February 18, was initiated by the ruling parties Smer and the Slovak National Party (SNS), which wanted to push through several social measures.
President Zuzana Čaputová will deal with the approved law after the elections, the Denník N daily reported.
The parliament also discussed the Istanbul Convention on February 25. As many as 96 MPs out of 113 present expressed their disapproval of the document. Slovakia signed the convention in 2011 but has never ratified it.
“We urge the president to act immediately over this matter and to inform the Council of Europe that the Istanbul Convention will not be valid and in force,” said SNS MP Jaroslav Paška, as quoted by the TASR newswire.
Čaputová will coordinate her steps with the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Denník N wrote. However, Spolu chair Miroslav Beblavý noted the resolution was not approved in accordance to the law.
The parliament was supposed to discuss two more proposals on February 26: higher child allowances and the cancellation of highway stickers. The MPs failed to approve the fast-track proceeding in which the draft laws were to be discussed due to the lack of MPs, so the session was wrapped up.
