Trade unions support the strategic direction of the Moldovan Government towards the EU

Representatives of the civil society, the press, the community of the development partners attended a meeting of the Joint Dialogue Forum with Civil Society for Trade and Development under the EU – Moldova Association Agreement today, 17 October. The event was organized in the context of the 3^rd meeting of the EU-Moldova Subcommittee on Trade and Sustainable Development, attended by officials from both sides and where the official position of the Republic of Moldova on the implementation of the Association Agreement was presented.

The event presented the visions, the independent findings of civil society representatives regarding the implementation of the provisions of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement on the commercial performance of the Republic of Moldova, the developments and constraints on business climate and labour legislation.

Thus, Petru Chiriac, vice-president of CNSM, stipulated that Moldovan trade unions closely follow the evolutions of the national economy. Despite the shortcomings faced by the country, he noted, the Moldovan Government’s Program of Activity for the years 2016-2018 is being implemented successfully, the strategic orientation towards the EU is firmly observed, a fact appreciated by the trade unions of Moldova. The laws and normative acts, especially in the economic and social field, are executed, which increases the confidence of the country’s population. Under these circumstances, many of the requirements resulting from the articles of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement are in the process of being accomplished.

Petru Chiriac pointed out that it is gratifying that the Government is unswervingly following the course towards European integration both politically and economically. More and more citizens of the country are aware of the values, the advantages of the European vector. Namely, thanks to the EU support, our country’s economy is steadily growing.

At the same time, Petru Chiriac said that the CNSM also has some wishes. Talking about people’s well-being, trade unions want minimum wages in the country to rise to the minimum subsistence level, that is, 75 percent of the average national wage. On this point, he reminded that following the social dialogue with the consultants and collective bargaining partners this year, it was managed to increase the guaranteed minimum salary in the real sector of the economy to 2380 lei per month.

Also, the CNSM vice president insisted on increasing the efficiency of the fight against the informal economy, a harmful phenomenon affecting the state budget, from which are paid the salaries of the public sector, the state social insurance budget, the pensions, the indemnities for unemployment, compulsory health insurance funds.

In this context, Petru Chiriac mentioned that during one of the last sessions of the National Commission for Collective Bargaining and Consultations, it was agreed to tighten punishment measures against people who use informal work. The CNSM vice president expressed his conviction that all these problems can be solved by the plenary involvement of the social dialogue partners.

The participants of the Joint Dialogue Forum for Trade and Development under the EU – Moldova Association Agreement adopted a joint declaration on priority policy recommendations for capitalizing on the economic opportunities of the EU – Moldova Association Agreement.

Department of Mass Media and International Relations of CNSM