Barmy EU tells Lithuania to urge citizens to work until 72…but men don’t live that long
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According to a document published by the European Commission, Lithuania will need to raise the maximum working age to 72 if it is to maintain its current dependency ratio – the age-population ratio between people of working age and the elderly they need to help.
Although the working age is not the same as the retirement age, it would imply policies that encourage people to work longer and retire later.
According to some observers, older people in Lithuania are not healthy enough to stay in the labour market for long.
MP and chairman of the parliamentary social affairs committee Mindaugas Lingė told LRT TV: “This suggestion from the European Commission is not strictly aimed at increasing the retirement age, but rather at creating the conditions for people who are willing and able to work to remain active until that age [72].”
According to Bogulsavas Gruževskis, director of the Vilnius-based Social Research Center, the situation in the country is already critical.
He said: “[In four years] there will be 50 retirees for every 100 working people.”
He added that this will have crucial implications for public finances and may require higher taxes.
Currently, 35 percent of the country’s population is over the age of 55.
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However, before extending the retirement age, Lithuania should tackle the relatively poor health and low life expectancy of its population, according to the former health minister and current WHO representative for Europe, Vytenis Andriukaitis.
Mr Andriukaitis told LRT: “Even before reaching retirement age, many people in Lithuania are unable to work due to the high prevalence of chronic non-infectious diseases.”
He added that “in Lithuania, the rates of cardiovascular, pulmonary, muscle and bone disease are enormous.”
The life expectancy of Lithuanian men is currently 71.5 years, compared to 81 years for women.
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The Commission’s findings sparked the outrage of French MP Patrice Cali.
The UPR politician blasted: “Brussels asks Lithuania to encourage its citizens to work until the age of 72.
“However, men’s life expectancy does not exceed 71.5 years or six months less than the age of retirement suggested by Brussels!
“Let’s get out of this prison quickly. Frexit!”
Others were also quick to react to the news.
One Twitter user said: “With Brussels, the EU will ask companies to integrate the management of workplace fatalities into collective agreements, at this rate.”
Another one said: “The perversity and cynicism of this EU.”
Mocking the Commission, another Twitter user joked: “And why not 172 years old?”
Additional reporting by Maria Ortega
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