At the usual concentrations on Monday, demonstrations in the Basque capitals on 26 May will be added this week. They reject the agreement between pp and PNV because it does not seem sufficient to them and continue to call for a minimum pension of EUR 1,080, as set out in the European Social Charter.

The thesis of the governments is that the system could not tolerate lower pensions rising to EUR 1,080. But those who say this and those who impose miserable pensions are paid other salaries: Lehendakari, Iñigo Urkullu, receives EUR 7,140 per month, while a parliamentarian receives EUR 5,000 per month. They go along the same lines as José María Aznar. The former President of the Spanish State, who has accumulated a lifetime pension of EUR 80,000 for thirteen years, has said, without any embarrassment: “If we do nothing, pensions will become impoverished, you have to retire at 70.” What a face!

It is not true that the system cannot cope with the rise in pensions demanded by citizens. It only takes political will and prioritizing the redistribution of wealth. A fairer tax policy. Why should lehendakari and parliamentarians receive such salaries, while in Euskal Herria some 250,000 people receive a pension of less than EUR 700? What is more, while half of the pensioners do not reach EUR 1,000 per month? Pensioners, young people and citizens must continue to mobilise together to secure decent public pensions for today and tomorrow. Not a step backwards!