Igor TOMEŠ

Professor in social policy, labor law and social security of Charles University and Private University of Applied Law in Prague, former Deputy Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs of the first post-communist Government, chief author of the concept of social reform scenarios in Czechoslovakia (1990), in Slovakia (1996) and Albania (1993), acted as consultant to ILO, OECD, EU, the USAID and the World Bank in matters of social reform in practically in all countries of the former Soviet block, lastly engaged as consultant to the governments of Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Moldova, Poland, Russia, Slovenia and Slovakia. Author of many books, mostly in the Czech language - the last being "Social law of EU" (2003), "Social Administration" (2002), "Theory of social policy" (2001). Key speaker at many international and European conferences.

Abstract of the speech:

PROBLEMS WITH THE PENSIONS REFORMS

Evidently in post communist Europe there is a critical need for reform. There is more than one choice - from conservative parametrical to radical non-parametrical approaches. The selection does not necessarily depend only on macro-economic calculations; there are also macro-social and political considerations to be taken into account. That is why the approach must be country specific. It also depends on social viability and political sustainability. There are traditional transfers that have partially or fully matured and accrued rights that have to be acknowledged. Politically no pension reform will be successful without an all-national consensus. Social tension may be the bottleneck.