Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan stated on Tuesday, while referring to the police officers' protest, that the retirement age must be increased for all categories of employees in Romania who benefit, in one form or another, from early retirement. He stressed that the country can no longer afford to retire people at 48-52 years of age.
'With regard to Romania's compliance with the milestones [EU-required milestones for member states - editor's note], through all the actions undertaken by the Government, our objective is to meet those milestones which are currently outstanding, and to ensure that those already met are not reopened as a result of any modifications made. Our intention is therefore to secure the absorption of European funds, and achieving and complying with these milestones is an important objective,' Bolojan said, when asked about the police protest and the intention to modify the legislation on military pensions, although the milestone in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) related to this area has already been closed.
The Prime Minister highlighted the need to raise the retirement age for all categories of employees in Romania who benefit from early retirement.
'I said this before and I repeat it: our country can no longer afford to retire people at 48, 49, 51 or 52 years of age. That is the truth. It is an issue of economic affordability, of the sustainability of the pension system in the coming years, and of basic social fairness. From all these perspectives, we must raise the retirement age - that is the crux of the matter,' Bolojan added.
He stated that the ministries responsible will put forward proposals to this effect.
'The same as in the case of magistrates, in these areas as well, for those who currently meet the retirement age requirements, there will be a transitional period and they will be able to opt for retirement under the existing law, without being affected by the new provisions, since, as you know, the new provisions apply only prospectively,' the Prime Minister further said.
Dozens of police officers protested on Tuesday in Victoriei Square in the capital city Bucharest against the draft measure by which the Government intends to increase the retirement age of personnel within the Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of Interior.
They expressed their dissatisfaction with the measures the Government is expected to take regarding the retirement age and called for the Prime Minister's resignation.
Comentează