Czech MPs approve change to pensions weakening principle of merit

The base part of a monthly pension will go up by 1 percent to 10 percent of the average pay and people over 85 will see their pensions rising by 1,000 crowns, according to the government-sponsored bill that the lower house passed on Friday and that is yet to be debated by the Senate. The Chamber of Deputies approved the bill with the votes of 130 out of 132 deputies present.