Slovenia raises retirement age to 67 under pension reform

LJUBLJANA, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Slovenian parliament has approved a pension reform late on Thursday, that will gradually raise the statutory retirement age from 65 to 67 by 2035, in a move aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the country's pension system.

Under the new law, individuals with 40 years of employment will still be able to retire early, but not before the age of 62, compared with the current threshold of 60.

"The number of employees per retired person is declining due to longer life expectancy and lower birth rates, which is why we must act to extend working life," Labor Minister Luka Mesec told lawmakers ahead of the vote.

The reform was adopted with 49 votes in favor and one against.

The centre-left government of Prime Minister Robert Golob has prioritized key reforms ahead of the regular parliamentary election scheduled for March or April next year. Enditem