Moldovan pension and social security reforms

Moldova has engaged in legislative and diplomatic efforts to reform its pension and social security systems.

On October 1, 2026, Moldova and Slovakia established a social security agreement to replace outdated arrangements from the USSR and Czechoslovakia era. This agreement allows citizens to aggregate insurance periods worked in both countries to meet minimum eligibility thresholds for old-age, disability, and survivor pensions. Under this mechanism, each state calculates and pays the portion of the pension corresponding to the insurance periods completed within its own territory.

Following this, the Moldovan government endorsed a legislative project aimed at expanding benefits for specific domestic groups. Effective January 1, 2027, the proposed law would allow individuals with severe childhood disabilities to simultaneously receive both a disability pension and a survivor's pension, whereas most beneficiaries currently must choose between different categories of social benefits.

The draft also seeks to expand survivor's pension rights by removing limitations regarding the date of a caregiver's death, allowing those who lost providers prior to 2025 to apply. Financial estimates suggest the measure could impact approximately 1,409 people in its first year, with a projected cost of over 35 million lei in 2027 and 38.74 million lei in 2028. Minister of Labor and Social Protection Natalia Plugaru stated the measure is intended to provide “greater financial security and stability for those in constant need of support.”