LIVE TEXT // European Social Charter Meeting

The Republic of Moldova is hosting, for the first time, the High-Level Conference on Social Rights – the European Social Charter. The event is taking place on Thursday, 19 March, in Chișinău, in the context of our country’s presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

Update 09:00 The conference has started. The Minister of Labour and Social Protection, Natalia Plugaru, stressed that the meeting in Chișinău is taking place at a time when the European continent is facing deep challenges – a new war, pressure on democratic institutions, rising cost of living, demographic change and the increasingly rapid effects of climate and environmental risks.

Natalia Plugaru: “These developments are testing the resilience of our societies and remind us that social rights are not a secondary pillar, but on the contrary, are essential for stability, cohesion and democratic institutions. This conference invites us to reflect on how the European Social Charter can guide states in responding to these pressures.” The participants were welcomed by President Maia Sandu. A speech at the meeting was also delivered by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset.

Maia Sandu: “It is an honour for us to host this high-level conference on social rights, we welcome you to the Republic of Moldova. Today we are focusing on an important topic. In our country, through experience, we have learned that social rights are essential for the survival of democracy. We have seen how fragile our institutions can become. Our adversaries deliberately use poverty and frustration to undermine public trust, organize paid protests, and have tried to manipulate elections and the referendum by attempting to exploit the economic vulnerabilities of the population.

At the same time, the perception persists that cheap energy is more important than freedom, although we know that dependence comes at a much higher price. These messages are disseminated in order to divide society, to sow the seeds of mistrust and to undermine sovereignty. What have we understood? These are not only political challenges. They are also social challenges, which require social responses. This is not a challenge unique to the Republic of Moldova. We see the same trend across Europe.”

Alain Berset: “The war in Ukraine has entered its fifth year of aggression from Russia. Given this war and the conflict in Iran, the Middle East, we must mention that there are consequences for these countries, but also for others, for the member states of the Council of Europe. This triggers a chain reaction. Europe knows what such economic shocks can do to human rights. That is why it is important to work together to solve these problems.”

Update 08:30 The Secretary General of the Council of Europe highlighted the importance of holding the conference in Chișinău, during the period in which the Republic of Moldova holds the presidency of the Committee of Ministers. “The fact that we can organize this conference here is particularly important. We thank you for hosting this event. It is a great pleasure for us to be in Chișinău, together with representatives of the 46 member states. We are convinced that the European family is the best way to move forward together, to build a stronger and more united Europe,” Alain Berset said in Chișinău.

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe underlined the need to strengthen social rights, given that Europe is going through difficult times: the war in Ukraine, the conflict in the Middle East and “other situations that affect us all”. Berset emphasized the need for investment in democratic security, in strong institutions and in access to essential services such as health care and housing.

Initial report: The Minister of Labour and Social Protection, Natalia Plugaru, stressed that it is a great honour for the Republic of Moldova to host the High-Level Conference on the European Social Charter. According to the official, the event will bring together ministers, senior officials and partners from across Europe to reaffirm political commitment, to discuss key challenges such as inequality and the future of the labour market, and to advance the common mission of turning social rights into reality for all.

“I warmly invite all governments, stakeholders and friends to join us in Chișinău at this significant conference. Your participation will shape the future of social rights in Europe and will reaffirm our common values. We look forward to welcoming you and working together for a more just, inclusive and prosperous Europe.”

“We will reflect together on how to strengthen implementation, promote wider ratification and ensure that the promise of social justice guides our actions both in the present and in the future,” Natalia Plugaru said on the eve of the conference.

On the sidelines of the event, two important agreements will be signed in Chișinău: a Social Security Agreement with Ukraine and a support agreement for the implementation of the RESTART reform with the Czech Republic. The Republic of Moldova ratified the revised European Social Charter on 8 November 2001 and accepted additional provisions in August 2024. At present, our country has accepted 71 out of the 98 paragraphs of the Charter. At the same time, the Republic of Moldova has not accepted the 1995 Additional Protocol, which provides for the establishment of a system of collective complaints.

In the context of the event, the authorities announced that road traffic will be temporarily restricted on certain streets in the centre of the municipality of Chișinău, in order to ensure the proper organization and security of the high-level meeting.