Labor Ministry On Small Pensions: Children Should Take Care Of Their Parents

A Belarusian woman appealed to the authorities with a complaint at her pension's scope.

Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection Aliaksandr Rumak spoke about the retirement age raise and the pensions in Belarus during a hotline, kp.by writes.

A resident of agro-town Karma reached the Deputy Minister on hotline. Her pension amounts to Bn 290, Bn 170 of which goes for communal utilities and medicines.

- Yes, my children help me out. However, it feels uncomfortable for me to take money from them, as I have worked all my life. Meanwhile, those who did nothing get the same pension, - the Belarusian complained.

- There is nothing bad about children taking care of their parents: you have grown them through your entire life, helped them. Now it's their turn to support you, - Aliaksnadr Rumak answered. – Those who never worked anywhere don't even come close to the pension that you are getting. They are getting social pension which makes about Bn 100 today. Your pension has been calculated considering your labor record. It's respectable that you continued working after reaching the retirement age. However, these years are not taken into account.

Another everlasting issue is the raise of the retirement age. Now women can retire at 56, men at 61, but the retirement age will be raised for half a year every year until it reaches 58 and 63. What happens next?

- So far, the current program of the retirement age raise has not been fully implemented. It's too early to predict but it is not excluded we will have to return to the retirement age raise issue," - Aliaksandr Rumak answered.