Penza, 17 December 2015. PenzaNews. The Russian President Vladimir Putin answered the question by Yulia Izmaylova, editor-in-chief of the Penza newspaper “Molodoy Leninets,” during the big presidential press conference on Thursday, December 17, and found it amusing that a representative of a youth-related newspaper [“Molodoy Leninets” means “The Young Leninist” in Russian] is asking a question that concerns the lives of the seniors.

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“Yulia Izmaylova, ‘Molodoy Leninets’ newspaper, Penza city,” the journalist introduced herself.

“‘Molodoy Leninets,’ as in The Young Leninist, asking about pensions? Glad to see you thinking far into the future,” Vladimir Putin said, eliciting a round of laughter in the audience.

“Most of our readers are seniors. We write a lot about pensions,” Yulia Izmaylova explained.

“Seniors, and all of them Young Leninists. This is excellent!” Vladimir Putin replied in a humorous mood, after which the journalist asked her question for the press conference.

“Would you please tell your opinion? In February, authorities will be cancelling pension indexation for working pensioners. Wouldn’t this economy on working pensioners lead to certain staff-related issues and growth in shadow economy earnings?” Yulia Izmaylova explained.

In return, Vladimir Putin stressed that the issue has been a topic of discussion frequently.

“I’d like to remind the experience of the Soviet Union. In the Soviet Union, the right to work and to receive pensions at the same time was allowed only in the economy fields or for the types of workers that were in great demand for the economy. For example, nurses, cultural workers, and so on. The rest had to choose between working and getting pensions. When the country broke down – completely – including the social field and economy, we decided to allow it for everyone… But there are different opinions, including potentially going back to the Soviet practice,” said the head of state.

He pointed out that the working pensioners are not facing “the decision not to get pensions: the decision was not to index the pensions.”

“But here, moreover, is another point I’d like to point out for you. Please, review the decision with more scrutiny, inform your readers. And, I think, people will be listening now as well. If the pensioner decides to continue working through 2016 and 2017, but finally retire in 2018, he or she will not be getting the pension indexed in 2016 and 2017. But when he or she finally retires, the indexations made for other pensioners over the years will be taken into account and, of course, applied once the person retires. […] These are the decisions taken, but it all is being discussed, undergoing scrutiny of consequences, including for the job market,” Vladimir Putin explained.