Activist on pension reform: We need our own economic development model for Russia

05.02.2019, Moscow.

Yevgenia Shevchenko, an activist of the Essence of Time social political movement, called for not only criticizing the pension reform, but to create an alternative economic development model for Russia at a conference under the title “The government’s itch for pension reform: Risks and consequences” on February 3, a Rossa Primavera News Agency correspondent reports.

Such work is needed due to our elite’s insufficiency. “They are already so arrogant and lazy that they, first of all, are incapable of proposing any effective reforms for Russia, and secondly, they neither want to, nor are capable implementing these reforms,” she explained

In conclusion, the activist called for upon the scientific and expert community to “unite on this front and start working regularly and consistently on this issue … So that we can prevail over the pension reform.”

The Essence of Time movement collected more than one million signatures against the proposed pension reform, and it submitted these signatures to the Presidential Administration of Russia, reminding the president of “the right of initiative” principle, which gives people the right to propose independent legislative initiatives.

A significant transformation of tax legislation was offered as one of the possible alternatives to government’s pension proposals, primarily, through the introduction of a progressive income tax as well as full-fledged legislation on liability for corruption and other types of illicit enrichment. As calculations show, these measures would allow not only to cover the deficit of the Pension Fund, but also to ensure the indexation of pensions for working pensioners, as well as to increase the size of pensions.

Editorial comment

Such conferences can be referred to as intellectualizing the protest. Activists are ready not only hold rallies and to picket, but also to discuss real problems at an expert level, propose alternative projects, and to involve the scientific and expert communities. Such activities are steps toward building a civil society.

Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency

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