Gov't not discussing increasing standard retirement age

The government is not considering or discussing at this moment the possibility of increasing the standard retirement age, spokesperson Ioana Dogioiu said on Tuesday.

"In the interview with TVR, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan referred exclusively to the retirement age of the categories of special status in this regard, therefore to the elimination of the exceptions to the standard age," Dogioiu said.

On Monday, Prime Minister Bolojan spoke about increasing the retirement age, so that the economically active population aged between 50 and 65 years holds a higher share than it currently does.

"From my point of view, we are in a situation where we need more people in the labour market, in the real labour market. And for that, whether we like it or not, we need to increase the retirement age, so that the economically active population in the 50-65 age range will hold a higher share than it does today, because there is no one to replace it," Bolojan told TVR Info public broadcaster. Asked if a third reform package will also include measures regarding the other categories drawing special pensions in addition to magistrates.

He said that if the retirement age is not increased, in general, for all categories, including in the area of special pensions, there will be "a situation of unsustainability of the pension system" in five or ten years.

"Think that our generations, which are 400,000 - 500,000 people in a year, will retire in ten years' time, and behind them come generations of 200,000 and, practically, if we do not increase the retirement age, in general, for all categories, including in the area of special pensions, we will end up in a situation of unsustainability of the state pension system in five years, in ten years. And we must say this: we cannot mortgage the future of the generations that come after us," said Bolojan.