Photo from UNIAN
The issue of the retirement age in Ukraine remains on the agenda of discussions with the country’s key creditor, the International Monetary Fund. However, the government is strongly opposed to its increase, Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Rozenko told UNIAN.
"We can’t say that the issue of the retirement age is off the agenda. Undoubtedly, the dialogue on this subject is underway. But we have a clear position: we stand against raising the retirement age, and we are firmly holding to this line," said Rozenko.
Read alsoMinister of Social Policy says what Ukrainian should expect from pension reformAs UNIAN reported earlier, the government insisted on the introduction of pension reform in Ukraine, because the accumulated imbalances do not allow paying decent pensions and at the same time require significant budgetary infusions. At the same time, the government believes that the key objective of the pension reform should be the reduction in the Pension Fund’s budget deficit.
Read alsoWhat IMF expects from Ukraine: media reports on 12 'beacons' in draft memorandumPension reform is also part of a reform program approved by the IMF. However, the memo signed between the government of Ukraine and the IMF in September 2016 includes no strict rules on raising the retirement age. At the same time, there is a recommendation to reduce the deficit of the Pension Fund as at the moment, it is covered with public subsidies. The budget of the Pension Fund for 2017 sees subsidies from the state budget at over UAH 140 billion.