The government’s plans to prevent people from taking pensions while still working will affect some 7,000 teachers and university lecturers. They will have to make a choice between the two from January 2011, when the legislative amendment takes effect.
“The measure will affect 6,000-7,000 teachers,” said education minister Eugen Jurzyca.
There is already a severe lack of qualified teachers in schools, especially in languages and natural sciences, and given the choice, most of those affected by the new law will probably opt for a pension, possibly making a little earner or two on the side.
PM Iveta Radicova said teachers will have the choice of whether to be receive a salary or a pension, although she also suggested that teachers might be able to work with a special type of work agreement. This would then hardly produce the desired effect of savings for the state, though, because the state would be paying pensions to the teachers, while employers would have to pay social levies.