Ilie Bolojan: "Romania, if it wants to develop economically, needs to have more people in the real economy. And that means, as I told you, we need to raise the retirement age, whether we like it or not."

Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan stated that Romania cannot function without raising the retirement age, emphasizing that economic recovery depends on maintaining a larger number of active people in the economy. He argued that the current pension system is unsustainable and that increasing the retirement age is inevitable, regardless of the political costs. Bolojan mentioned that there are areas where employees retire too early, which exacerbates the staff deficit. The Prime Minister proposed transitional solutions for those who already meet the retirement conditions, ensuring that there will not be a massive wave of retirements that could affect institutions. He also highlighted the need for differentiated solutions tailored to the specifics of the work, such as for gendarmes or other professions with intense physical effort. Bolojan estimated that changes regarding retirement conditions could be implemented this year, emphasizing the importance of an honest and realistic discussion about this issue.