The government has tabled two amending bills in the House of Representatives that change the pension framework for the public and wider public sector. The Council of Ministers approved them on 16 September 2026, and they were submitted to the House on Thursday.
Refund of contributions
The most significant provision concerns periodic contributions paid by employees towards the transfer of their pension to a widow, widower or dependent children. Under the bill, these contributions will be refunded where the employee, on retirement, was widowed, unmarried or divorced, or had no dependent children.
Supreme Constitutional Court ruling
The provision is being reinstated following a ruling by the Supreme Constitutional Court. The court found that the failure to refund these contributions from 2013 onwards amounted to deprivation of a property right.
Deadline for applications
Under the bill, applications for a refund must be submitted within 12 months of retirement. Where an employee dies in service, the deadline is 12 months from the date of death. Late applications may still be accepted where reasonable cause for the delay is shown.
Changes to widow’s pension claims
The second bill makes three changes:
- It abolishes an inactive provision that granted a gratuity exclusively to female employees.
- It introduces a deadline for claiming a widow’s pension. Applications must be submitted within one year of the spouse’s death.
- It limits back payments on late claims, generally to three months. In exceptional cases, back payments may be extended to up to 12 months.
Minimum widow’s pension
The bill also provides a floor for some widow’s pensions. Where the deceased employee had completed 400 monthly contributions to the Widows’ and Orphans’ Pension Fund, the widow’s pension may not be lower than 75% of the pension the employee received, or would have been entitled to receive.
The change was considered necessary after cases were recorded in which the widow’s pension was calculated at a lower level, despite the required contributions having been paid.
