A special nominal merit allowance will be instituted in Moldova in appreciation for one’s talent and professional dexterity and for substantial contribution to promoting the country’s image abroad. The allowance will be given to persons who were awarded the Order of the Republic and receive pension outside the country. This is provided in a draft law that was proposed for public consultations, IPN reports.

The right to receive the special nominal merit allowance will be offered to persons who settled in a country with which Moldova signed an agreement on social insurance or an agreement on social guarantees and who benefit from pension in this state, in accordance with the agreement’s provisions.

The given allowance will be set by presidential decree and will be equal to two average official monthly salaries for the previous year. It was estimated that 84,569.73 lei in state budget funds will be needed for the purpose for a person until the end of 2023. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the average official monthly salary in 2022 was 10,529.1 lei. Therefore, the given allowance will be 21,058.2 lei a month. A total sum of 84,569.73 lei will be necessary for a holder for September-December and a total sum of 253,709.19 lei will be needed for 2024 given the average official monthly salary for 2022 (21,058.12 x 12 months + distribution tax of 0.4%).

The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection said the pursued goal is to substitute the pension for persons who reached the standard retirement age in accordance with the national legislation, but do not benefit from this on Moldova’s territory for particular reasons, with the special nominal monthly merit allowance.

The Ministry noted that the persons with special merits towards the state in different areas of activity benefit from state nominal allowance, as persons who were awarded the Order of the Republic, in the amount of 500 lei a month.