LONDON — The country should move up a planned state pension increase to coincide with an inflation-linked rise on April 1, Prime Minster Vladimir Putin said, according to a transcript e-mailed by the government Wednesday.
The second increase, set for July 1, is "insignificant" and can be moved forward so that "people will be receiving a little more money over a longer period of time," Putin said.
"We have those funds now, as collections in the Pension Fund are decent and there's money in the budget," Putin told State Duma member and chairman of the Russian Pensioners Union Valery Ryazansky. "But that will require that changes be made to the law on pensions, if you're in agreement."
(Bloomberg)