Dozens of retired and elderly concentrated in Lisbon on Saturday to demand increases of 4.7% in pensions and the restoration of rights and benefits to them were taken by the Government.
The protest was organized by the Confederation of Pensioners, Pensioners and Seniors (Murpi) as part of a national day of protest that included concentrations in 14 locations around the country. In Luís de Camões Square in Lisbon, protesters passed a resolution calling for minimum increases of 25 euros for the lowest pensions and the replacement of the reformed pension supplements of public enterprises. Still require the replacement of the entire for payment of holiday and Christmas allowances of pensioners and 50% discount on public transport.
Approved unanimously, the resolution also calls for recognition of Murpi as a social partner.
Jorge Figueiredo, the direction of the confederation, explained that this is an old claim, already presented to the parliamentary groups, but it requires legislative change. “We would be very important to be on a social pact, it would be the only way to be truly retired represented in the Economic and Social Council,” he said.
President’s Murpi, Casimiro Menezes, welcomed older people demonstrated in Lisbon and “the thousands of pensioners who took to the streets across the country” under the day of struggle against the rising cost of living and the appreciation of the retirement and pensions, “This national day of action is the demonstration the Murpi is the strength of pensioners and that the fight for pensioners is fair. ” He criticized the Government’s policies and accused the coalition PSD / CDS to continue in line with the austerity dictated by the troika , “taking advantage of every pretext” to apply more taxes and get more rights and benefits to older. The leader of the elderly lamented the deterioration of the living conditions of the majority of pensioners, many of whom “are already in extreme poverty”.
“We want to live our retirement with respect and dignity, but we feel that the retirees are increasingly impoverished with the government’s policy, “he said.
According to data released by the confederation, about 1.2 million pensioners in 2014 had an average pension of 336 euros and about 1.9 million euros 410.50. And more than 65,000 seniors lost the Solidarity Supplement for the elderly between 2013 and 2014.
The cut in social benefits was also critical target in Casimiro de Menezes speech, which was repeatedly interrupted by slogans against Government policies.
The concentration in Camões Square ended with a performance of a Alentejo sing group, which sang the symbolic Grândola Vila Morena, while the protesters were waving the Murpi flags, green and red with a clove in half.
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