Without the country’s economic and social regeneration, pensions and social benefits are at risk, Labour Leader Alfred Sant said yesterday.

In his initial reactions to the pension reform announced by the government earlier this week, Dr Sant said that the Nationalist government, led by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi should work in collaboration with social partners to ensure a sound economy.

This, he said, would lead to the creation of prosperity and as a result, pensions and social benefits would not be at risk.

Dr Sant said that the Malta Labour Party will be studying in detail the proposals for a pension reform announced by the government and will be reacting to them and putting forward its own alternatives on the matter.

The Labour leader said that it was the first time in more than eight years that the Nationalist government actually came up with official proposals on the reform in the pension system.

In all this time, he said, governments led by former Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami and Dr Gonzi never took the bull by its horns but always relied on documents and studies published by commissions which they set up.

Dr Sant said that the MLP will be reacting to the proposals and will offer its alternatives well before the date Dr Gonzi mentioned for the issue to be discussed in parliament.

He criticised the government for failing to make any proposals on the second pillar which, according to the government, was meant to be the crux of the whole reform. “Was it shelved for political reasons? Is this because the various PN government failed to state their position on the pension reform?” he asked.

Dr Sant said that it was evident that the government did not evaluate the effect that the reform would have on families with a low or medium income.