Medvedev to finalize instructions to improve life of pensioners

MOSCOW, October 25 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
will hold a meeting of the State Council presidium devoted to improving
the life of elderly people on Monday.
The president handles actively the problems of pensioners in the past
four weeks. He held about ten meetings on pressing problems for elderly
people. Medvedev explained his attention to this problem by the fact that
about 40 million pensioners live in Russia.
On September 20, the president instructed Minister of Health and
Social Development Tatiana Golikova "to set the priorities to improve the
life of pensioners, examine the financial component, and to give close
attention to pensions, medical services, medicine supplies and related
issues."
"The life quality in the country is showed by the life level of
elderly people," the president said with confidence. Therefore, Medvedev
believes that the scope of basic approaches to the pension problem,
including the retirement age, should be revised, but there are no ready
answers yet.
"Our country is turning into a state of elderly people. There is
nothing bad about it, this means that we live longer," the president
pointed out. "Anyway, it is a positive process, but we should prepare for
it," Medvedev remarked.
On International Day of Older People marked on October 1, Medvedev
stated in his video blog that the care of older people is the top priority
for the state and the whole society.
The president also noted that a considerable part of addresses to him
are made from elderly people. "They are writing about their problems
related with medical services and medicines, some difficulties to pay
utility bills and about pensions. They are writing how difficult to find a
job for them and about a lack of demand for them," Medvedev said.