The number of retirees in Romania went down by 16,000 people in the first quarter of this year compared to the previous quarter, to 5.27 million.

The average monthly pension was RON 942 (EUR 210) up by 5.4% compared to the last quarter of 2015, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INS).

The retirees-to-employees ratio in the economy was 9 to 10. However, there were significant variations between the country’s regions. For example, in Bucharest the ratio was 5 retirees to 10 employees while in Teleorman, one of the poorest counties in Romania, the ratio was 17 retirees to 10 employees.

There were also significant differences between the average pension in various parts of the country. The average pension in Bucharest was some EUR 262, compared to only EUR 166 in Giurgiu county, some 50 kilometers south of the capital.

editor@romania-insider.com