PSD's Oprea: Healthy life expectancy in Romania is incomparably lower than in the EU

Social Democratic Party (PSD) spokesman Radu Oprea says retirement age cannot be raised in Romania because life expectancy has dropped and healthy life expectancy is "incomparably lower" than that in the European Union, Agerpres reports.

"Why can't the retirement age increase in Romania? The first shocking news is that last year life expectancy decreased by 1.4 years, according to Eurostat data. The second argument comes from the fact that healthy life expectancy must be analyzed, an indicator speaking about the quality of life in recent years (how healthy you are). In Romania, a retired man lives 6 and a half years healthy, in Germany (the retirement age is 7 months higher) but a healthy life expectancy is 11 and a half years. In Spain, 12 and a half years and 8 years in Poland. For women, the retirement age is higher or equal to that of the countries in Central and Eastern Europe, but the pensioners live less healthy compared to the other countries," Oprea wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.

He pointed out that the causes leading to a reduced life expectancy must be resolved first and then the raising of the retirement age must be considered.

"And you do not play with statistics (even if it is an average). Healthy life expectancy in Romania is incomparably lower than that in the European Union. Let us focus firstly on solving the causes that lead to these sad realities, the lack of healthy food and lifestyle due to poverty, difficult working conditions and then let us talk about raising the retirement age. Otherwise, only very few Romanian citizens will benefit from pension," said Radu Oprea.

National Liberal Party (PNL) spokesman Ionut Stroe said on Tuesday that the Liberals discussed in the Executive Bureau meeting about the ban on accumulating pension and salary, but also on the possibility of retiring at the age of 70, with a decision to be made inside the ruling coalition.