Moldovan premier meets trade unions' representatives

Chisinau, 9 August /MOLDPRES/ - Prime Minister Vlad Filat met representatives of the National Trade Unions Confederation of Moldova (CNSM) today, the government's communication and press relations department has reported.

Attending the event were Deputy Prime Minister Mihai Moldovanu, Finance Minister Veaceslav Negruta, Labour, Social Protection and Family Minister Valentina Buliga, as well as heads of branch trade unions, CNSM departments, youth organizations' representatives.

CNSM head Oleg Budza has pointed out the support enjoyed by the trade unionists on behalf of the government on the last period. He said the prime minister, as partner of the Confederation, promptly reacted to the demands and claims filed by the CNSM, including a proposal to organize a rally on 1 May 2012. Budza stressed that the measures taken by the cabinet to promote social policies are welcome and appreciated by wage earners and trade unions.

At the same time, the trade unionists tackled more problems, including the wage payment, labour conditions, price regulation, fiscal evasion, supplying young people with dwellings, developing infrastructure, etc.

In this context, the CNSM leadership made the following proposals: gradual increasing the minimal salary on Moldova up to the level of the subsistence minimum, reconsidering the minimal guaranteed quantum of the salary in the real sector on the basis of the 2010 year indexes, introduction of mechanisms of stimulating the creation of new jobs, promotion of a draft law on price regulation, inclusion of trade unions' representatives in commissions set up for privatization of public property.

The prime minister welcomed the trade unionists' initiatives, noting that there are solutions to all the claims. Vlad Filat emphasized that the set forth problems need to be systemically tackled.

"When we approach problems in any sector, including the salary one, we should tackle them as part of a system. We will be able to discuss problems regarding the admission, graduation, employment, etc. depending on how we educate the children as early as in the school period," Vlad Filat said.

Referring to the infrastructure, Filat underlined that 1.76 billion lei was earmarked for development, of which 200 million lei for the maintenance of roads between settlements.

As for the wage payment and combating the fiscal evasion, the prime minister said the reform process is under way, including the needed changes had been carried out in terms of the competent institutions' leadership.

The prime minister gave assurances that the CNSM will further benefit from the government's support and necessary openness to ensure an efficient dialogue for the settlement of the current problems by common agreement.