More Moldovan pensioners protest against pension system reform

Chisinau, 16 December /MOLDPRES/ - Over one hundred pensioners today protested outside the government and parliament buildings. Thus, they showed discontent with the pension system reform, which provides for the increase in the retirement age, needed length of pensionable service and unification of the way the pensions and social insurances are calculated for certain categories of citizens.    

The protesters shouted slogans such as „Anulare nu promulgare” (Cancellation, not Promulgation), „Anticipate” (Snap Elections), „Demisia” (Resignation), Miliardul înapoi-guvernarea la gunoi” (The Billion Back, Government to the Dustbin), „Vrem să trăim nu să murim” (We Want to Live, Not to Die), „Jos mafia” (Down with Mafia), etc. At the same time, the pensioners conveyed to the government and parliament the claims voiced at a news conference earlier this week.         

The organizer and head of the Pensioners Union Victor Leanca said that the authorities “did not take into account the precarious financial situation in the country and turned more difficult the living of the elderly people by reforming the pension system.”

“No official, no decision-maker dared to come to the old persons who protest against the things and lawless actions they do. If they believe that this reform is meant to help the country’s citizens, why didn’t they come to persuade us that this is namely like this? They fear us, and now they try to frighten us and to send away those young people who remained in the country, in order to be able to easier control us, the elderly,” Leanca said.    

Initially, the pension system reform was seeing a gradual increase in the retirement age, from 57 to 62 years for women, and from 62 to 65 years for men, by six months annually starting from 1 January 2017 till 2026. Subsequently, during the consideration of the draft on pension system reform in the first reading in parliament, a string of amendments were proposed, which envisages the equaling the retirement age and the length of pensionable service of the women and men. Thus, both women and men are to retire at the age of 63 years in Moldova, and the length of pensionable service will be equal – 34 years. The concerned draft of amendments was approved by the cabinet and is to be considered by parliament.   

The Labour Ministry reasoned the pension system reform by the fact that the rate of demographic ageing had grown from 13.6 per cent in 2005 to 16.2 per cent. At the same time, according to forecasts, till 2035, the share of Moldovans older than 60 will be 25 per cent of the population.

(Reporter P. Beregoi, editor L. Alcaza)