Poverty line and social protection systems of three countries, including Moldova, will be analyzed in comparative study

The poverty level and the social protection systems of Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus will be examined in a comparative study. The results will be made public in May 2009. In Moldova, the research will be carried out by the Institute for Development and Social Initiative (IDIS) “Viitorul”. The nongovernmental organization was selected to carry out this study at a tender contest held by the European Commission. Project coordinator Olesea Cruc has told Info-Prim Neo that the study results will provide an overview of the social protection, pension and health systems to the international organizations. The comparative approach is applied through the Open Method of Coordination (OMC), which includes guidelines and timetables, indicators and benchmarks, good practices accepted voluntarily by the EU member states. “It will enable to furnish the European institutions with data relevant to the EU portfolio of indicators,” the national project coordinator said. Similar studies in the EU member states and candidates for EU membership have been conducted since 2002. In the countries covered by the European Neighborhood Policy, including Moldova, the project was launched in 2008.