Moldova’s Parliament has been presented with additional explanations and details regarding the planned pension reform for employees of the country’s law enforcement and security institutions.
The proposal, developed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, would replace the pension framework that has been in place since 1993 and introduce clear retirement-age requirements for personnel in the sector.
According to the draft law, a gradual increase in the retirement age for security and law enforcement employees will begin on January 1, 2027. While many officers currently retire between the ages of 40 and 44, the reform would raise the threshold to 50 years of age by 2036.
The transition period is expected to last nearly a decade. Retirement eligibility would increase by six months every half-year, a measure that Labour and Social Protection Minister Natalia Plugaru says is intended to prevent abrupt changes and allow employees time to adjust.
“This way, everyone will have sufficient time to plan their career and professional future,” the minister stated.
The reform goes beyond retirement age requirements. It also raises the minimum service period needed to qualify for a pension.
Under the current system, a special service record of 12 years and six months is sufficient. The proposed legislation would require at least 20 years of service and a minimum total work history of 25 years.
“The new approach establishes 20 years of special service, and in practice this already reflects reality, since people are remaining in the system much longer. For certain high-risk categories, the threshold will remain at 15 years,” Plugaru explained.
The government also clarified which categories of employees would remain eligible for preferential conditions. Personnel serving in particularly hazardous roles and employees of closed penitentiary institutions would retain the current retirement threshold of 45 years and the 15-year service requirement.
The calculation of pension benefits would remain largely unchanged. Retirees would continue to receive 50% of the pension calculation base, with an additional 3% added for each extra year of service, up to a maximum pension level of 75%.
According to preliminary government estimates, the reform could save approximately 49 million lei. Officials say those funds would be redirected toward salary increases for employees in the defense and law enforcement sectors.
The proposal has already sparked questions from opposition lawmakers. Member of Parliament Vladimir Odnostalco requested additional explanations from Minister Plugaru, describing the initiative as the beginning of a broader campaign to raise the retirement age and asking whether the reform is linked to negotiations with international financial institutions regarding future lending to Moldova.
The government maintains that the reform is aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability of the pension system while aligning retirement practices with current workforce realities in the country’s security and law enforcement institutions.
