Romanian PM says higher retirement age for military and police “unavoidable”

Romanian prime minister Ilie Bolojan announced that the government will propose increasing the retirement age for military and police personnel, arguing that the current system is no longer economically sustainable, he said in an interview with Europa FM, as reported by Ziarul Financiar.

Bolojan pointed to what he described as structurally early retirements in the sector, with some personnel leaving service as early as their late 40s. “We have categories that retire at 47, 48, 50, 52 years old… it is no longer sustainable to continue like this,” he said, adding that “for the military, for the police, there is no other possibility.”

The prime minister said a concrete proposal will be presented in the coming week, alongside broader reforms linked to the unitary wage law, a key commitment under Romania’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) programme.

The planned changes go beyond retirement age alone. Bolojan also signalled an increase in the minimum length of service required for pension eligibility, arguing that the current threshold of 15–20 years is insufficient and will need to be raised significantly.

At the same time, the government is considering adjustments to military pensions, with potential increases differentiated by the nature of service.

“It’s one thing to be a paratrooper or a diver and another to be a mess worker,” Bolojan said, suggesting a more granular system reflecting operational risks and responsibilities.

(Photo source: Gov.ro)