Recipients of social benefits will receive higher pensions

As from April 1, the 620,000 recipients of social benefits in Moldova will receive increased pensions, Info-Prim Neo reports, citing a Government decision. The pensions in 2008 will be raised by 17%, taking into account the yearly 12.3% rise in inflation and the annual 21.7% increase in the average salary in Moldova in 2006. There will be increased the seniority pensions, the pensions of civil servants and customs employees as well as the invalidity pensions fixed under the law on the insurance against work accidents and professional diseases. The MPs, civil servants and customs workers will get increases only for the part of the pension that is paid from the state social insurance budget. When raised, the minimum old-age pension will be 475 lei, while the pension for agriculture workers - 422 lei. The invalidity pension of first degree will be 337 lei, of second degree - 326 lei, of third degree – 229 lei. According to estimates, a sum of 506.8 million lei will have to be allocated from the state social insurance budget and 13.6 million lei from the state budget for the purpose. The law on the state social insurance budget includes the necessary resources, but the state budget needs 956,800 lei more. In 2007, the pensions were raised by 20.6%.