World Cup Gives Russia Cover for Unpopular Pension-Age Increase
- Government proposes gradual retirement-age increase from 2019
- Medvedev also announces plan to raise value-added tax rate
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With Russia gripped by World Cup fever and the national soccer team preparing for the opening game, the government moved ahead with an announcement the public has been dreading for a decade.
The country that has one of the lowest retirement ages in the developed world will next year start to gradually push back the time people will be allowed to leave work, if the cabinet’s proposal is accepted by lawmakers. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said in Moscow on Thursday that a draft bill will be sent to parliament “in the nearest future” so it can be voted on before a summer break -- putting it on track to be adopted before the World Cup ends on July 15.