Trade Unions Do Not Support the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection’s Proposal to Replace 28 Calendar Days of Annual Leave with 22 Working Days

The trade unions do not support the proposal of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection to replace the current entitlement of 28 calendar days of annual annual leave with 22 working days.

We consider that this proposal is not sufficiently justified and raises serious concerns regarding the Republic of Moldova’s compliance with its international obligations.

In the trade unions’ view, the Ministry’s proposal would reduce the current level of protection afforded to employees and is inconsistent with International Labour Organization Convention No. 132 on Holidays with Pay, ratified by the Republic of Moldova through Parliament Decision No. 1330/1997. Upon ratification of the Convention, the Republic of Moldova declared an annual leave entitlement of 24 working days. We emphasize that the Convention allows for the subsequent extension of this entitlement, but not for its reduction.

Furthermore, the proposed amendment is contrary to the commitments undertaken under the Association Agreement between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union, ratified by Law No. 112/2014, which prohibits promoting trade or investment by lowering the level of labour protection provided under national legislation.

It is equally important to note that, since the adoption of the Labour Code in 2003, the Republic of Moldova has not received any observations from international supervisory bodies regarding the current provisions governing the duration of annual leave. In other words, the existing legal framework has not been challenged at the international level.

The trade unions remain committed to constructive social dialogue and to identifying balanced solutions that contribute to maintaining social cohesion and industrial peace. In our view, a reasonable solution that is fully consistent with the Republic of Moldova’s international obligations would be to establish the duration of annual leave at 24 working days, calculated on the basis of a five-day working week. Such an approach would comply with international labour standards, preserve the current level of employee protection, and ensure the uniform application of the legislation.

Workers’ rights must be protected and strengthened—not weakened.