Social and employment services in Orhei, Rezina, Șoldănești, Telenești districts to be expanded

Chisinau, 19 August /MOLDPRES/- Social and employment services in Orhei, Rezina, Șoldănești and Telenești districts will be expanded. It will be made possible thanks to a donation of seven vehicles received today by the National Employment Agency (ANOFM) and the Central-East Territorial Social Assistance Agency (ATAS). The vehicles will be used by social assistance workers to provide services to more citizens in the territory, particularly in remote and hard-to-reach localities.

The seven vehicles worth 2.621 million lei were donated by GIZ Moldova, with financial support of the German Federal Ministry for Cooperation.

Minister of Labor and Social Protection Alexei Buzu said at the car donation event that the primary focus of the reforms initiated by the authorities, especially the RESTART reform, is investing in frontline workers.

This week, the figure of 10 thousand people employed will be reached, citizens who since the beginning of the year have been supported by ANOFM to find a job. "This is an extremely good result that we are proud of and these new investments will accelerate the performance", Buzu said.

Head of development cooperation at the German Embassy in Chisinau Verena Zell said that in recent years Moldova has taken impressive steps and important reforms to modernize the system in the ambition to join the EU, and the RESTART reform is part of this objective. "Germany has been providing assistance and support to the Republic of Moldova for 30 years as part of its development and cooperation programs and we very much want to support Moldova, especially now, at this important moment of preparation for EU accession. Consolidation of the public services sector is a priority for us. The vehicles donated today will help colleagues improve their work to increase employment in rural communities and increase the mobility and accessibility of services provided by mobile teams for the elderly and people with severe disabilities," said Verena Zell.

GIZ Moldova country director Claudia Hermes mentioned that the seven vehicles donated today are part of a larger package of assistance that the Government of Germany offers to the Republic of Moldova. 

The donation takes place in the context of the implementation of RESTART reform and as part of the reform of the National Employment Agency. The RESTART reform aims to improve governance and transparency in the social assistance system and ensure fair access of the vulnerable population to quality social services.