Christmas without a pension. Seniors who will not retire at all in December

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Christmas could be a sad one for many Romanian pensioners, especially for those who submitted their pension files in recent months.

Due to technical and administrative problems, a considerable number of pensioners are at risk of not receiving their first pension in December. The IT system of the Pension House, which cost millions of euros, continues to be non-functional, increasing the frustrations and concerns of the affected people.

The problems at the Pension House: Delays and malfunctions

The IT system at the National Pension House was supposed to be the solution for streamlining the process of recalculating and managing files, but reality proved the opposite. Although huge sums have been allocated to implement and maintain this system, the platform is not functioning properly and delays are inevitable.

Pensioners who filed between August and September 2024 now face the risk of not receiving their pension before the holidays. This situation has generated panic and discontent among those affected, with many stating that the 45-day deadline for processing the file has been exceeded.

Testimonies of affected pensioners

A pensioner explained her situation, for Newsweek: “I submitted my file on July 22, 2024 and received the decision on September 14, 2024. I submitted the closure of the work book, but so far I have not received the pension. I don’t understand how they can force you to stop working without offering you financial support during this difficult time.”

Another pensioner expressed his frustration: “I applied for the age limit pension in September and I still haven’t received the decision. Maybe we’ll get our first pension in February.”

Explanations of the Pension House

The National Pension House acknowledges the existing problems and explains in a statement: “All territorial pension houses resolve in continuous flow the requests for verification of recalculation decisions and establishment/revision of pension rights. Due to the high volume of activities, there may be delays in processing applications, although officials are fully engaged in the process.”

Non-functional investments: Millions of euros spent on a system that does not work

Newsweek recently revealed that millions of euros were spent developing and maintaining a computer system that did not deliver the promised results. Casa de Pensii concluded a contract with two companies, Wing Leading Edge and Arobs Systems, for the “Application Quality Management Platform and Automatic Functional Testing”, worth 12,625,000 lei. Unfortunately, the implementation was not completed on time, and the consequences are felt directly by pensioners.

Consequences for retirees

In this context, many pensioners are in a situation of uncertainty. Prolonged delays could mean a pensionless Christmas for recent filers. Although the authorities promise that the arrears will be paid retroactively, concern remains. “I submitted in August and haven’t received anything yet. I was told that I can only receive my first pension in January or February,” said a resigned pensioner.

What solutions are there to solve the crisis?

Representatives of the Pension House and experts in the field emphasize that, although delays are inevitable in the current context, pensioners will receive the arrears when the problem is resolved. However, a quick and effective review of the IT system is needed to prevent these situations from happening again.

With an IT system that does not work properly and with prolonged delays in resolving cases, Romanian pensioners face a difficult reality around the holidays. Although the government and the Pensions Fund promise that arrears will be paid in full, uncertainty remains for many who rely on this income to make ends meet.

Source: www.doctorulzilei.ro