The government is preparing to increase the retirement age of employees of the MApN, MAI and secret services, who currently retire at 48

The representatives of the MApN and the MAI will draw up a project by the end of next week to increase the retirement age in public order and defense structures, Defense Minister Radu Miruță announced on Monday.

The measures would be adopted in the context in which the Government aims to reduce by 10% the salary fund of the institutions, writes Agerpres.

Radu Miruță specified that the Ministry of Defense (MApN) or the Ministry of the Interior (MAI) cannot reduce salaries or the number of employees, in the context of the war in Ukraine. On the other hand, it is aimed at increasing the retirement age.

“At the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior it is a more special matter. I also explained in the coalition – I believe with all my strength: we have 600 kilometers of border with a country at war. You cannot say that you are reducing the army, because, on the contrary, you have to increase it. The Ministry of Defense is working, starting today, until next week, on a draft law, together with the Ministry of the Interior, to increase the retirement age. This is the compromise that the coalition accepted: not to cut the salary, not to cut the number of employees, but to contribute to the effort as well, by increasing the retirement age”, stated Miruță, on Antena 3 CNN.

According to the minister, currently the retirement age in these structures is 48 years, and the necessary changes will be established following some simulations.

“For now, it is 48. We are discussing a bill that we must bring to the Government's table at the end of next week, which will increase the retirement age. Some simulations are being made: how much do you need to increase the retirement age in order to reduce expenses by 10%? Maybe not until 65. Maybe until 60. Maybe until 55. Today it is 48”, explained Miruță.

In terms of health, money may be awarded based on the rank of hospitals and the type of guards.

“At Health, there is an expectation that the ministry will come up with some proposals to reduce expenses through other methods. Think, for example, at the level of hospitals. There are doctors who are on duty in Floreasca and who have maybe 20 presentations per shift. There are doctors who are on duty, for example, in Târgu Jiu who maybe have two presentations per shift. You cannot take the same amount of money. There are hospitals that are very engaged in the medical act. There are hospitals that are less engaged. They cannot have the same rank”, added the Minister of Defense.

In the field of Education, the reductions made the previous year will be taken into account.

“In Education, an effort was made last year. It was reduced by 4-5%, if I remember correctly. It is taken into account. That is, 10% is not required from this year. 10% with what you did last year,” the government official also said.

Miruță added that there were no discussions in the Government about the introduction of new taxes.

“The focus of the Government and the prime minister is to finally show the population that we are cutting from us as well. And we start the year with this proof,” he claimed.