Today in Chisinau, the Minister of Labour and Social Policies, Marina Calderone, was received by the Secretary General of the Moldovan Government, Alexei Buzu. The meeting, which took place in an atmosphere of deep friendship and mutual respect, served to reinforce the partnership between the two countries during a pivotal period of Moldova's structural reforms.
During the meeting, Italy reaffirmed its support for Moldova's journey towards becoming a member of the European Union. "We are firmly committed to supporting Moldovan democracy in promoting the European social model in the face of global challenges," said Minister Calderone. The discussion focused on the strategic importance of the Social Security Agreement, signed by Calderone and Buzu in Rome in October 2024. The agreement encourages mobility and ensures that both workers and businesses receive social security benefits by exempting seconded workers from social security contributions. The minister also spoke about how hardworking the Moldovan community is in Italy. It is the largest Moldovan community outside the country.
Ahead of her forthcoming meeting with Natalia Plugaru, the Moldovan Minister of Labour and Social Security, Minister Calderone outlined the future areas of cooperation:
- Digitalisation and AI; sharing best practices on the impact of artificial intelligence on the labour market and the digitalisation of services to promote inclusion.
- Combating illegal activities; working together to combat undeclared work and poverty
- Child protection; sharing experiences under the European Child Guarantee.
The visit will continue tomorrow with meetings with Maia Sandu, the President of the Republic of Moldova, and Minister Plugaru, as well as the participation of Minister Calderone in the High-Level Conference on the European Social Charter.