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Labour Minister Marius Budai said on Monday that the government in Romania should first deal with the hope for a healthy life of the citizens, after which they could see if they can discuss a possible increase in the retirement age.
He added that he does not support raising the retirement age beyond 65 in any way.
"I don't understand what those people were thinking when they placed these aspects in PNRR [National Recovery and Resilience Plan] because, for sure, they didn't think about people. Life expectancy in the West is much higher than life expectancy in Romania. (.. .) Let's deal with the healthy life expectancy of Romanian citizens, after which we'll see if we discuss a possible increase in the retirement age (...) We have a provision in the already existing law, Law 263, annex 5, which says that women have to reach the age of 63 by then [in 2030]. There is a decision of the Constitutional Court on discrimination that women can work until the age of 65, which was included in PNRR to be phased in throughout 2035, possibly gradually. Under no circumstances do we support an increase in the retirement age beyond the age of 65," Budai told a news conference at the main offices of the Social Democratic Party (PSD).
Law 263 in force "does not stop any Romanian citizen from working past the age of 65," if he or she wishes to do so, added the minister. AGERPRES
