ZAGREB, Jan 19 (Hina) - A delay in the adoption of the statute of the Agency for the Supervision of Pension Funds and Insurance will most probably postpone the beginning of the pension reform in Croatia, scheduled to start on July 1,
2000. The Agency's statute must pass the government and parliament procedure, and since this has not been done, the Agency can not officially start operating and issuing licences for the future pension funds. This will postpone the establishment of the second and third systems of pension insurance, said Damir Ostovic, head of the Erste Pension Fund and a former member of a commission in charge of implementing the pension reform. The postponement will last six months at least, until January 1, 2001, although it is not impossible that it will last until July 1 2001. The pension reform in Croatia includes three systems - the obligatory first system, the obligatory
ZAGREB, Jan 19 (Hina) - A delay in the adoption of the statute of the
Agency for the Supervision of Pension Funds and Insurance will most
probably postpone the beginning of the pension reform in Croatia,
scheduled to start on July 1, 2000.
The Agency's statute must pass the government and parliament
procedure, and since this has not been done, the Agency can not
officially start operating and issuing licences for the future
pension funds. This will postpone the establishment of the second
and third systems of pension insurance, said Damir Ostovic, head of
the Erste Pension Fund and a former member of a commission in charge
of implementing the pension reform.
The postponement will last six months at least, until January 1,
2001, although it is not impossible that it will last until July 1
2001.
The pension reform in Croatia includes three systems - the
obligatory first system, the obligatory second system, in which
insurees choose pension funds, and the third optional system, where
insurees choose the amount they are willing to pay for pension
insurance.
Recalling that the registration in the new system can be obligatory
or optional, Ostovic said the first three months in the
implementation of the new system were reserved for the selection of
funds by persons under the age of 40. All those who fail to choose a
fund will be registered by the central registering office.
Insurees over the age of 40 and under the age of 50 have the right to
stay in the first system or enter the first and second system - the
so-called individual capitalised saving.
The selection of funds can start six months after the beginning of
the reform, Ostovic said, adding this would be postponed for some
time due to the already mentioned procedural reasons.
The Erste Pension Fund, which is being established, is one of the
six pension funds which will be operating on the Croatian market.
Pension funds have been established by the Zagrebacka Banka and
Allianz Insurance; the Privredna Banka and Croatia Insurance; and
Raiffeisenbank. The Croatian Employers' Association and some other
associations have announced that they will also establish pension
funds.
(hina) rml