The law on pension reform in Ukraine will take effect on October 1, 2011, if the president signs it.
As reported by an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent, 245 out of the 315 MPs registered in the parliament hall on Tuesday voted for the bill.
Moreover, MPs introduced amendments to the law on pension reform of July 8, 2011, which means the fulfillment of one of the two key conditions for the continuation of cooperation between Ukraine and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). A total of 248 MPs voted for the adoption of such a law.
In particular, the parliament cancelled the amendment proposed by MP Arseniy Yatseniuk in July 2011 regarding the selection of the average salary for 2009 as a basis for calculating the pension, which would lead to a sharp increase in the expenditures of the Pension Fund. The amendment concerned the recalculation from January 1, 2012 of pensions that are paid in line with the law on compulsory state pension insurance. MPs justified their decision by the fact that the provision was inconsistent with Article 42 of the law.
Yatseniuk said that the exclusion of this paragraph from the text of the bill meant the refusal from an increase in pensions by UAH 334 per month for ten million retirees.
Lawmakers also adopted a provision permitting officials who have reached the retirement age of 62 to stay in office if they have the necessary permission.
As reported, the Verkhovna Rada late on July 8, 2011 passed a law on pension reform, which foresees a gradual increase in the retirement age for women from 55 to 60 years and an increase in pensionable service by ten years for men and women.
The law, if signed by the president, was to come into force on September 1, 2011.
Pension reform in Ukraine is one of the main conditions for the disbursement by the International Monetary Fund of the third tranche to the country under the Stand-By Arrangement.
