Moldova starts negotiations on social security agreements with Israel, Latvia

Chisinau, 18 December /MOLDPRES/- Moldova has started negotiations on social security agreements with Israel and Latvia. Acting Labour, Social Protection and Family Minister Valentina Buliga made statements to this effect today.

According to Buliga, so far, Moldova has concluded such bilateral agreements with 11 EU member states – Bulgaria, Portugal, Romania, Luxembourg, Austria, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Belgium, Poland, Hungary and Lithuania. “An agreement with Turkey is under preparation for being signed,” Buliga said.

Once the documents have entered into force, the Moldovans legally working in the above-mentioned states will be able to receive social allowances. It is about the allowance for temporary work incapacity, unemployment benefits, old-age pension, loss-of-breadwinner pension, death benefit. Over 200 social allowances, especially pensions, have been transferred since the entrance into force of the 11 social security agreements with EU member states.

The minister underlined that the internal procedures had been concluded, in order to sign a new agreement on cooperation in labour migration and temporary labour activities of migrant workers in Moldova and Russia. Buliga expressed regret that so far, the draft agreement had not been signed, and not through the fault of  the Moldovan side.

“More letters on identifying the date for signing have been sent to Russia’s Federal Migration Service, to which we have received no reply,” she said.

According to the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), over 340,000 Moldovans are legally working abroad. The research was carried out by the National Public Health Care Centre, financially supported by UNICEF Moldova. The International Migrant’s Day is marked on 18 December worldwide .