Brussels says Lithuanians should work until 72 – but men rarely live that long

The European Commission has recommended that Lithuania extend working life. While observers agree that the aging population will force seniors to stay in the labour market longer, others note that Lithuanian seniors are not healthy enough for that.

In order to maintain its current old age dependency rate – that is, the rate between working-age people and seniors they need to support – Lithuanians will need to work longer, according to a recent European Commission paper.

Over the coming two decades, working life in Lithuania should be increased to 72 years. While it is not the same as retirement age, it would mean pursuing policies that would encourage people to work longer and retire later.

“This suggestion by the European Commission is not strictly about raising the retirement age, but rather about creating conditions for people who are willing and able to work to stay in employment until this age [72],” MP Mindaugas Lingė, chairman of the parliamentary Social Affairs Committee, told LRT TV.

According to Bogulsavas Gruževskis, director of the Vilnius-based Centre of Social Research, the situation in the country is already critical.

“[In four years] there will be 50 retirees per 100 working people,” he tells LRT TV, adding that it will have crucial implications for public finances and may require raising taxes.

Seniors (Associative image) | D. Umbraso / LRT nuotr.

At the moment, 35 percent of the country's population are aged over 55.

However, before prolonging working age, Lithuania should address relatively poor health and low life expectancy of its population, says Vytenis Andriukaitis, former health minister and now the World Health Organization's (WHO) representative for Europe.

“Before they even reach retirement age, many people in Lithuania are unable to work due to high prevalence of chronic, non-infectious conditions,” he told LRT TV. “In Lithuania, the rates of cardiovascular, lung, muscle and bone diseases are huge.”

Life expectancy for Lithuanian men is currently 71.5 years, for women, 81 years.