South-Eastern Europe labour ministers reassert commitment to improve policies in the area

Labour ministers from South-Eastern Europe reasserted their commitment to adopting an integrated approach aimed at the full and productive employment and at ensuring the social protection and dialogue. The statements were made during the Ministerial Conference on Employment and Social Policy in South-Eastern Europe held in Budva, Montenegro. The officials asked for international support in improving the employment policies and in fortifying the institutions that deal with the labour market, including the social partners. Among the major problems discussed at the meeting were the lack of jobs, the low participation on the labour market, the increased unemployment, the shadow employment especially among young people and disadvantaged groups. The participants also discussed the accomplishments in the regional cooperation in the area of employment policies and set out new directions of this cooperation within the Stability Pact that expires in 2008. They welcomed the constitution of the Regional Cooperation Council that was entrusted with the task to implement the new phase of regional cooperation in the area of employment and social policies. Labour ministers and delegation heads from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia as well as the UNMIK (United Nations Mission in Kosovo) representative, delegates from the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in Kosovo and representatives of the social partners from Europe and other parts of the world took part in the conference held under the aegis of the International Labour Organisation and the Council of Europe. The Republic of Moldova was represented by Deputy Minister of Economy and Trade Sergiu Sainciuc.