The trade unionists consider it appropriate to examine the possibility of stopping the increase in the retirement age for women at 61 years or instituting a moratorium. The National Confederation of Trade Unions of Moldova drafted a bill in this regard and sent it to Parliament for consideration, IPN reports.

“We proposed that, starting with 2024, a moratorium on the increase in the retirement age for women in our country should be set. Today, the women who started work after 1990 are close to retirement age. We are talking about women who worked in harmful conditions, during the complicated transition period, in difficult working conditions, with low salaries, in order to have a contribution period of 34 years, and it would be appropriate for them to retire at 61 years old. Moreover, we consider that the previous retirement age for women should have been maintained,” said Angela Otean, head of the Confederation’s Commission for Women.

The Confederation noted that it repeatedly expressed its disagreement with the intention to increase the retirement age for women, up to the one at which men retire – 63 years. The standard of living in the Republic of Moldova cannot be compared with that in neighboring countries, where life expectancy exceeds 80 years. The trade unionists repeatedly stressed the need to step up the efforts to reduce the informal economy, to increase contributions to the state social insurance budget, to raise salaries and improve the socioeconomic situation of the citizens.

As of July 1, 2024, the standard retirement age for granting the old-age pension for women is 61 years and the full contribution period is 34 years. For men, the retirement age remains unchanged, constituting 63 years, and the contribution period is 34 years. The respective conditions have been applied since July 1, 2019. The standard retirement age for women is increased by 6 months each year until it will reach 63 years so as to be equal to the retirement age for men, in 2028.