ATHENS — The third round of negotiations between the Labour Ministry and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Moldova was concluded on July 8, with the aim of concluding a bilateral agreement in the field of social security of both states.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, during the three-day talks, which took place in a constructive climate of cooperation, the two delegations completed both the text of the agreement and its implementing regulation, which sets out the technical details and procedures to be followed.

The Greek delegation, headed by the Secretary General of Social Security, Pavlina Karasiotou, consisted of officials from the ministry, e-EFKA and a representative of the Foreign Ministry, while the Moldovan delegation was headed by the Deputy Minister of Health, Vasile Cusca. At the beginning of the works, the Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Panos Tsakloglou, and the Ambassador of Moldova in Athens, Anatol Vangheli, addressed a greeting.

According to the announcement, the bilateral agreement in the field of social security is expected to have benefits for the insured citizens of each country living and working in the other, as, upon their retirement, their entire insurance history in both countries will be taken into account. This facilitates labour mobility between the two countries, but also creates serious incentives for insured, legal work. Currently, according to data from e-EFKA (2020), it is estimated that about 1,800 Moldovan citizens work and are insured in our country, while 230 are receiving pensions.

The first two rounds of talks took place in 2019 in Athens and Chisinau and negotiations resumed as soon as health conditions allowed, thanks to the very good cooperation between the Labour Ministry and the Moldovan Embassy in Athens.

The agreement is expected to be signed in 2021 by the competent ministers, and then ratified by the Greek and Moldovan parliaments.