Very interesting the letter that sent a General of the Carabinieri Corps of the Reserve Paolo Romano to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Matteo Salvini, concerning the cut of the gold pensions, so much heralded by the pentastellati. The specificity of the contents prompted us to publish it in its entirety, as it allows analyze the provision from another perspective which considers, more carefully, the specific peculiarities of the Defense Security Section.
General Paolo Romano, as in the letter:
“The writer has served the country for over 46 years: first as an officer of the Carabinieri for 32 years, then as executive of the Prime Minister for 8 years, then as Head of the Legislative Office of the Ministry of Defense for 4 years; since 2016, placed on retirement by the Carabinieri with the rank of general, he has been carrying out the functions of accounting magistrate.
I like to think that you want to read this mine, intended to present some reflections on the topic of "golden pensions", as addressed in the two bills, of parliamentary initiative, recently brought to the attention of Parliament ( D'UVA and MOLINARI: "Provisions to promote the equity of the social security system through the recalculation, according to the contribution method, of pension payments over 4.000 euros per month" AC1071 " and a similar provision filed with the Senate).
Net of the emerging, possible questions of constitutionality of the intervention, which I entrust to the evaluations of certainly more qualified jurists, but considering the concreteness that distinguishes you, I would like to highlight how the texts referred to are, at present, inapplicable to the different legal situations that characterize the condition of military service or belonging to the police force, for which the personal service limits, for example, are anticipated in relation to the wearisome nature of the activities despite the fact that, for the same reasons, they can benefit from up to five years of additional seniority. In my case, for example at the time of retirement, between actual contributions and those provided for by law, there were about 50 years useful for the specific purpose, and sixty-one years of age, all to reach 111!
Despite these premises, the pension that was paid to me, equal to about 5600 euros per month, according to the bill, for the part exceeding 4000 euros (or perhaps 4500) should be subjected to a cut related to the years in advance with which I would have left the service with respect to the age limits generally provided for by the legal scheme being examined. A truly distorting effect, if only one also considers that my service to the country has not been interrupted but continues in another capacity, that of a magistrate.
In this regard, I would like to remind myself that the specific nature of the military profession has always been recognized and lastly affirmed, even in an orderly manner through the art. 19 of the current 4 law November 2010 n. 183, which establishes how the definition of the pension protection of the personnel of the security-defense sector must take place through specific and differentiated measures, being highly weary activities.
This regulatory framework is not considered in any way in the articulated in question, and it is therefore reasonable to ask whether the circumstance does not mean a silent, and frankly hypocritical, overcoming this principle, which is crucial for those belonging to the aforementioned sector and absolutely relevant in terms of security national.
The principle of a diversified pension scheme with respect to the public for the Security-Defense sector (Legislative Decree No. 165 / 1997), moreover, was observed even by the law "Fornero"Which did not affect the social security requirements of that sector, and limited itself to foreseeing a mild harmonization through a regulation that "bill of the objective peculiarities and needs of the sectors of activity as well as of the respective regulations".
Without further technical details I would like to highlight how these legislative initiatives concern both the personnel of the sector in service and that already retired, but with different coefficients and calculations: this will determine an unreasonable imbalance between the two audiences. Vintage pensions, in short.
The measures will have a negative, widespread impact on the morale and the compactness of the cadres and management of the entire sector, considering that they mortify those who, during the service, past or present, have been and are called to assume higher responsibilities and risks outside the common, risks that at any moment could have turned into, or have become, accidents and injuries.
In essence, no favoritism and no privilege for the sector but the request for a fair consideration of our life and work stories; I am sure that many of my colleagues, in service or not, at this time feel dismay and disappointment with respect to a legislative and therefore also political approach, which, at present, does not seem adequate to the delicacy and relevance of the theme.
I ask you, therefore, a dutiful study of the questions posed, to avoid that a principle of fairness, perhaps shared but now applied in an indiscriminate manner that is without taking into account the different realities that fall within its perimeter, determine damage to the indispensable harmony that a great country as ours must keep with the institutions responsible for security and defense.
In short, and I conclude, different situations - as repeatedly affirmed by the Constitutional Court - can not be treated in the same way, and this is even more true if we refer to the broad category of public employment and in this focuses military life.
Therefore, please, Minister, the prospect of concretely affirming this principle in the context described, interpreting the needs but, above all, the right expectations of all the personnel it represents.
These are men who feel the serene trust towards you of those who know duties better than rights, having in several circumstances recorded, in your expressions, words of deep appreciation and gratitude ”.