The eligibility criteria for beneficiaries of social housing will be extended. This way, besides the vulnerable sections of the population, the families in which at least one member works in the public sector or the public service sector will also be entitled to social housing. The MPs gave a first reading to a bill that provides for this, IPN reports.

Under the bill, social housing will be provided to persons who work in healthcare, education and social assistance. This will serve as an efficient instrument for attracting specialists to district centers so as to cope with the shortage of specialists.

The “minimum of existence” concept will be replaced by the “minimum official salary” as one of the eligibility criteria.

Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development Lilia Dabija said that 3,500 persons from socially deprived group have been provided with dwellings within the two stages of the project to build social housing. “At the third stage that will start soon, we aim to increase the number of beneficiaries by another 3,800 persons,” stated the minister.

The bill to amend the Law on Dwellings is to be given a second reading.