Today, the OSCE Office in Tiraspol hosted the first meeting of the expert (working) groups on humanitarian assistance from Pridnestrovie and the Republic of Moldova in the current year. Taking part in the meeting were representatives of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Moldova, the OSCE Mission, the European Union, and the Embassy of the USA.
In the framework of the previously agreed agenda of the meeting the participants discussed the issue related to providing social protection for people in implementing the right to retirement.
Particularly, it was noted that the Protocol Decision On reached agreements regarding some issues concerning pension provision and social welfare signed in Kiev on November 26, 2013 is successfully implemented without any technical glitches.
The Moldovan side was interested in the specific issue on pension provision for staff members of the Romanian schools functioning in the territory of Pridnestrovie. It was pointed out that work experience in the Romanian schools of that category of citizens was not taken into account in calculating pensions in Pridnestrovie. The Pridnestrovian side clarified that the reason for that situation was the fact that the staff of the said non-state educational institutions did not currently make relevant payments provided for by law in the Unified State Social Insurance Fund of Pridnestrovie. The Moldovan side understood the clarifications by the Pridnestrovian side.
The Foreign Ministry of the PMR believes that resolution of the problematic issue lies in the area of joint development of mechanism for redirecting pension contributions of the schools staff to Pridnestrovie's local budgets – the Pridnestrovian side have come forward with such proposal over a period of half a year within the framework of activities of the expert (working) groups on education.
In the course of the meeting its participants exchanged views and information on the existing legislation of the sides in the sphere of assessment and protection of children at risk, as well as repatriation (return) of children left without parental care from the Republic of Moldova to Pridnestrovie and from Pridnestrovie to the Republic of Moldova.
In that context, the sides agreed to share written proposals within a month in order to come a step closer subsequently towards creating a draft mechanism of interaction in that area.
