Kyrgyzstan Trims Pension Spending
| Publisher | Institute for War and Peace Reporting |
| Publication Date | 21 May 2015 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | RCA Issue 760 |
| Cite as | Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Kyrgyzstan Trims Pension Spending, 21 May 2015, RCA Issue 760, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/555f1f2c4.html [accessed 31 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The Kyrgyz government is hoping to cut expenditure by hoarding pension funds. So far, its tactic of raising the retirement age has met with remarkably little opposition.
The latest plan is to increase the retirement age for two special categories. For residents of mountainous areas, the increase is three years - from 55 to 58 for men and from 50 to 53 for women. For people classed as living in remote areas, it rises by one year, to 61 for men and 56 for women.
There is been little fuss about this because it is seen as bringing these categories into line with changes that have affected the rest of the population. The statutory retirement age, once 60 for men and 55 for women, was increased to 63 and 58, respectively, over a number of years ending in 2007.
Nurbek Kaysarbaev, spokesman for the national Welfare Fund told IWPR that savings were essential to balance the books.
Zamira Shabdanalieva is head of the Pensioners' Party, and she too supports the increase on the grounds that fewer people are in employment and contributing to the national pension pot. Others point out that urban workers pay much more in contributions than rural-dwellers, yet everyone receives the same pension.
