BUCHAREST, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Romanian government on Tuesday assumed responsibility in Parliament for a controversial bill aimed at reforming magistrates' pensions, raising retirement ages, and capping benefits.
Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, speaking in a joint plenary session, said the measure is intended to correct "a social injustice," ensure long-term sustainability of the pension system, and meet obligations under Romania's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), the reform program backed by the European Union.
Under the draft law, the retirement age for magistrates - currently as low as 48 - would gradually increase to 65. The minimum service requirement would rise from 25 to 35 years, effectively preventing retirement before age 58.
The proposed reform would also cap pensions at 70 percent of the last net salary, replacing the current system that allows full pension parity with final pay. The transition period would be extended from 10 to 15 years, with each incoming cohort working one additional year until the new age threshold is reached.
The changes would apply not only to judges and prosecutors, but also to auxiliary court staff, assistant magistrates, employees of the National Institute of Forensic Expertise, and legal personnel at the Constitutional Court.
Bolojan's announcement follows a recent Constitutional Court ruling, passed by a 5-4 vote, which found that a previous 10-day window to seek the opinion of the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) was insufficient. "This time we also have the CSM's opinion -it is true, a negative one," he said.
Under Romania's Constitution, the government may assume responsibility for a draft law in a joint session of Parliament. The bill is automatically adopted unless a no-confidence motion filed within three days is passed. Even if the law clears Parliament in this manner, the Constitutional Court may still review its constitutionality before or after promulgation and can invalidate provisions or the entire act if found unconstitutional. ■