Moldova's socialist opposition files censure motion against Labor Minister over poverty rates
The Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM) has initiated a simple censure motion against the Minister of Labor and Social Protection, Natalia Plugaru. Socialist lawmakers announced the move during a press briefing on Tuesday, citing a failure in social safety nets.
Member of Parliament Alla Ursu-Antoci stated that national poverty has reached a critical threshold. She claimed that many retirees are forced to sell personal assets to cover record-high utility costs.
"During this minister's mandate, over 180,000 families were denied energy compensations," Ursu-Antoci said. She argued that the government incorrectly deems these households wealthy enough to afford current market rates.
The opposition further criticized the Ministry for a lack of coherent support policies. Current data shows a national poverty rate of 33%, rising to 43% in rural areas. "The Ministry of Social Protection has become the Ministry of Poverty Protection," the MP added, demanding Plugaru's resignation.
The legislative process
A simple motion requires the signatures of at least 15 out of 101 MPs to be submitted for parliamentary debate. The Permanent Bureau must schedule a plenary session to examine the motion within 14 days of its filing. To pass, the motion requires a majority vote from the deputies present.
Government response and "Ajutor la Contor"
In response, government authorities highlighted the ongoing "Ajutor la contor" (Meter Aid) program. This initiative began distributing January energy compensations on February 9 to support vulnerable households during the winter season.
According to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, 621,873 households—totaling approximately 1.24 million people—are currently receiving aid. This reflects an increase of 3,534 households compared to December.
Approximately 53% of eligible households receive maximum compensation levels. This includes 800 MDL (approx. €41) for those using wood or coal, and 1,000 MDL (€51) for those using natural gas, thermal energy, or electricity.
Financial allocation
The government allocated 469 million MDL (approx. €23.9 million) for the January compensation cycle. The beneficiary pool includes 404,044 pensioners, 352,618 children and young people, 23,505 people with disabilities, and 11,973 individuals.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
