site.btaUnionist, Professional Organizations in Security Sector Insist on Minimum Retirement Age below 50 Years

Unionist, Professional Organizations in Security Sector Insist on Minimum Retirement Age below 50 Years

Sofia, May 4 (BTA) -  Trade unions and professional
organizations in the security sector insist that the minimum
retirement age should not exceed 50 years. They gave a news
conference at BTA on Monday within the public discussions of the
 Social Security Code.

At present there are no economic arguments in favour of changing
 the retirement conditions in the sector, said Ivan Pavlov,
Chairman of the Federation of Trade Union Employees. It is
important to understand, he said, that the proposed retirement
age for military officers and policemen - 52 years and 10 months
 - is to be gradually increased up to 55 years, Pavlov said.

A minimum age of 55 years is very high particularly for officers
 performing operative activities, such as firemen and border
policemen, said Ventsislav Stankov, Vice President of the
National Trade Union of Firemen. In his opinion, the effect of
the activity of a 55-year old fireman will be the same as the
aesthetic impression from the dance of a 53-year old ballerina.

Around 2,000-2,500 people retire annually in the sector as more
than half of them are over the age of 55. The Social Ministry
insists on setting the retirement age for these employees at 52
years and 10 months as of January 1, 2016 and then gradually
increasing it up to 55 years. The requirement for length of
service is 27 years. At present there is no age requirement.
Military officers and policemen retire after a service of 27
years, of which 18 years in the system.

According to the participants in the news conference, the
changes in the system will make many people quit their job. They
 recalled that they have made ten proposals for a change of the
conditions of retirement but noone of them has been included in
the bill. They did not rule out the possibility for protests
unless they are heard by the incumbents.