The National Institute of Justice, dialogue partner within the new project of the Council of Europe on the right to work

At the National Institute of Justice, a meeting took place on Thursday, February 26, 2026, with representatives of the Council of Europe, dedicated to the presentation of the new project "Promoting the right to work in the Republic of Moldova", which will be implemented between January 2026 and December 2028.

From the INJ side, the director Ramona Strugariu, the deputy director Ghennadi Epure, and the head of the Training and Research Directorate, Ecaterina Popa, participated in the discussions. The project team was represented by Nelea Bugaevski, project coordinator at the Social Rights Department of the Council of Europe, as well as by Inesa Dorogan, senior project coordinator, and Elena Scurtu, project coordinator, Council of Europe Office in Chisinau.

The purpose of the meeting was to present the main strategic directions of the project, integrated in the Action Plan for the Republic of Moldova 2025-2028, which supports the commitments assumed by our country in the context of the accession process to the European Union, especially in Chapter 19 regarding social policy and employment. The initiative aims to strengthen compliance with the right to work and align practices with European standards, with an emphasis on facilitating the access of people from vulnerable groups to professional training and integration on the labor market.

The discussions focused on the inclusion of labor law topics in the initial and continuing training programs, the organization of training activities on relevant subjects, including the involvement of international experts, as well as the use of the provisions of the European Social Charter as a benchmark in the professional training process. Topics about the development of the HELP course on the right to work and the development of guides and specialized information materials were also addressed.