Silina wants to restore equality with old-age pension beneficiaries by changing service pension system

RIGA - By changing the system of service pensions, Prime Minister Evika Silina (New Unity) wants to restore equality with other recipients of retirement pensions.

In an interview on Latvian Television this morning, the Prime Minister said that the need to save state budget funds had raised the "long-standing and difficult" issue of service pensions.

"It is clear that this system also needs to change, because the retirement pension age was raised some time ago, but the age for service pensions has not been raised. We do not intend to take anything away from those who receive pensions, but it is clear that this system needs to change because there are many inequalities," the politician said.

She stressed that equality and fairness must be restored to all other pensioners. This issue is therefore "very high on her agenda".

The PM reminded that not only employees of the internal affairs system, but also judges, prosecutors, diplomats, ballet and cultural workers receive service pensions. "We cannot afford to have a prosecutor leave his job at 50," Silina said.

The Prime Minister invites the public to a debate on this issue.

As reported, Finance Minister Arvils Aseradens (New Unity) announced in early May that he would propose raising the service pension age this year.

Aseradens explained that the retirement age in Latvia has been increased by five years in recent years, to 65 years, while the age for service pensions has remained unchanged.

Politicians have been trying to raise the issue of reforms to the service pension system for years, but no changes have been made, mainly due to the active opposition of workers in the sectors involved and fears of people possibly leaving these jobs.