Pensioners' protest: "I don't have enough money even for medicine"

On Friday, pensioners from Romania announced protests, claiming they have reached the limits of their financial endurance. Many say their pension income no longer covers even basic expenses, and paying for medication, food, and bills has become a monthly struggle.

Choosing between treatment and food

According to testimonies gathered by Realitatea PLUS, some elderly people have had to give up their medication in order to afford other essential expenses. One pensioner recounts: "I came to take out a loan." Another says he has not bought his blood pressure medication for nearly three weeks: "I think it's been three weeks since I last took my blood pressure treatment." Another pensioner admitted, with tears in her eyes, that she does not have enough money for the treatment she needs.

Giving up meat and new clothes

To make ends meet until their next pension payment, many elderly people say they have drastically cut back on food spending. Meat has become a rarely purchased item, and vegetables are bought in small quantities: "I give up meat, I give up fresh herbs, I buy just one bunch. I make a soup and eat it for two or three days," recounts one of them.

New clothes and footwear are also being put off: "I give up a lot! Clothes, shoes. You have to give something up, because there's no other way to live," says another pensioner.

"How am I supposed to live on 14 million?"

One elderly man spoke about the difficulties caused by his pension amount and the debts he has accumulated: "How, madam, am I supposed to live on 14 million? Is that right? And I'm also in debt to the CAR."

Ilie Popa, a representative of pensioners, drew attention to the situation of those who have worked for approximately 40 years and who say their current income no longer allows them to cover all their expenses.

Pensioners announced they would take to the streets on Friday to voice their grievances, calling for their issues to be taken into account. Their message is simple: after decades of work, they do not want to be put in a position where they must choose between a doctor-prescribed treatment and a hot meal.