Average pension does not cover even half of minimum subsistence level

The average old age pension in Moldova in July this year was 775 lei. The minimum subsistence level for elderly people was 1,167.4 lei. The minimum subsistence level is an indicator showing the minimum monthly level of earnings needed by a person, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the Ministry of Economy and Trade, the average monthly pension during 2001- 2008 rose 3.5 times in real terms and 7.6 times in nominal terms. However, the average monthly pension remains one of the lowest in the countries of the region. In Moldova, there are about 600,000 beneficiaries of different categories of pensions.