Experts from both banks of Dniester resume dialogue on social issues, humanitarian aid after two-year break

A meeting of the working groups on social issues and humanitarian aid today was held via videoconference, with the support of the OSCE Mission to Moldova and the participation of sectoral experts from both banks of Dniester.

The Chisinau delegation was led by Vasile Cusca, State Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, and included officials from the ministry and the National Social Insurances Office.

The discussions focused on the obstacles created by Tiraspol in ensuring the protection of the rights of children in difficult situations, particularly the ones left without parental care, as well as on access for residents of the Transnistrian region to social protection measures provided by the authorities of Moldova.

In the context, the experts from Chisinau called for the removal of obstacles preventing guardianship authorities from exercising their legal responsibilities. Appealing for respect for the principle of the best interests of the child, the representatives of Chisinau, supported by Vasile Coroi, the Ombudsperson for Children's Rights, put forward proposals based on national legislation and international treaties, in order to facilitate the intervention of the authorized institutions in protecting children identified as being at risk.

The experts from Chisinau addressed issues concerning the exercise of the right to a pension and access to benefits meant for families with children for citizens of Moldova residing in localities of the Transnistrian region.

In the context, the experts of Chisinau highlighted the increase in the number of monthly childcare allowances for children up to the age of two (from 617 in the first half of 2025 to 3,581 at the end of the first half of 2026 and 4,082 at the end of October 2026), as well as the increase in the number of old-age pensions (from 690 in the first half of 2025 to 1,226 at the end of the first half of 2026). In the field of social protection, during the same period, the number of benefit recipients increased from 2,752 to over 8,000, while the total value of payments rose from 27.6 million to 76.3 million lei.

The Chisinau delegation expanded on the initiative launched on 24 September 2026 by the deputy prime minister for reintegration, during the working meeting of political representatives in the negotiation process for the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict, regarding the opening in Bender of a centre for social services and primary healthcare. It requested unhindered access to the area for specialists to assess the conditions and initiate the preparations required to make the centre operational.

The participants in the meeting highlighted the unacceptability of politicizing social issues and the continued involvement of representatives of Tiraspol's political representative's office, against the backdrop of unrecognized symbolism, in the technical dialogue between sectoral experts, to the detriment of a professional exchange of opinions and the advancement of concrete measures in the interests of citizens.

The participants agreed to maintain dialogue within the relevant working groups and to contribute to identifying practical solutions to the issues discussed, for the benefit of citizens on both banks of the Dniester.

It is worth mentioning that the last working meeting of experts on social issues and humanitarian aid took place on November 13, 2024.