Parliament passes amendments to legislation on retirement

The legislative body Tuesday adopted amendments to the legislation on retirement in first reading. Thus, the length of service after which the employees can retire will be increased by six month a year from July 1, 2011, up to the level of 35 years, Info-Prim Neo reports. The norms concerning the retirement of judges and prosecutors will be excluded from the special laws and included in the general legislation on retirement. The length of service for judges and prosecutors will be raised from 12 years and 6 months to 15 years, while the complete length of service required that is currently 20 years will be gradually increased to 35 years, booth for men and women. The quota for servicemen who worked on contract, persons from the command bodies and troops of the Interior Ministry will be gradually raised from 20 to 25 years. The special length of service before retirement for MPs and members of the Government will grow from 2 to 4 years, while for the president, vice president and members of the People's Assembly of Gagauzia – from 4 to 6 years. A sum of 33 million lei is estimated to be saved this year as a result of these amendments. The Communist parliamentary group voted against the bill with amendments, saying it is antisocial and is only a component part of the memorandum signed by the Government and the International Monetary Fund. “These reforms are antihuman and antisocial and will have serious consequences. Layoffs in areas that are financed from the state budget will follow,” said Communist MP Igor Dodon.