EU Urges Slovenians to Back Pension Overhaul in Referendum

European Union leaders including Angela Merkel of Germany urged Slovenians to approve an increase in the retirement age as polls indicate the proposal is likely to be rejected in a referendum in the former Yugoslav republic.

The euro-region country of 2 million residents “needs to overhaul its pension system” as its population ages and puts pressure on the budget, EU President Herman Van Rompuy told reporters today at Brdo, near the capital Ljubljana, after meeting with Slovenian officials including Prime Minister Borut Pahor.