Romania's minister of labor and social protection, Raluca Turcan, announced on March 11 that her ministry would publish for debate a draft law that allows people to keep working until the age of 70 instead of retiring at term if they choose to do so, Adevarul reported.

According to the draft bill, those who opt for working after their retirement term will have their pension rights suspended if their workplace is in the public sector.

The bill aims to address an issue that could not be addressed by ordinary means: the widespread corruption in the budgetary sector and the abnormally low retirement age for some sectors (such as for Police officers, magistrates).

Frequent cases of employees in the budgetary sector retiring at young ages and then continuing to work in the public sector generated public outrage.

Instead of regulating the early retirement regime and employing on a merit basis, the Government is addressing the most visible part of the problem: the young pensioners employed in well-paid public seats.

(Photo: Gov.ro)

iulian@romania-insider.com