The minister of Labor and Social Solidarity, Marius Budai, will sign, on Thursday, a joint declaration of collaboration in the field of social security with his Spanish counterpart, Jose Luis Escriva Belmonte, the minister told Agerpres.

According to Marius Budai, the document concluded with the Ministry of Social Security and Migration of the Spanish government „will emphasize the importance of labour force mobility between the two states and aims to promote policies of inclusion and social security, integration and information on the rights and duties of citizens, so as to contribute to the growth of social cohesion and the balanced development of society”.

„I will discuss with my Spanish counterpart about the reforms that both countries have included in their recovery and resilience plans (PNRR), but also about the ways in which the collaboration between the institutions with powers in the field of workers’ protection, pensions and social benefits can be strengthened. It’s a period in which both countries have as a milestone in the PNRR the pension reform, which we must carry out with respect and dignity towards the citizens,” minister Marius Budai said.

The Romanian official is paying, between February 28 and March 2, a working visit to Spain, during which he also had a meeting with the president of the Labour, Inclusion, Social Security and Migration Committee of the Parliament, Antonio Gómez-Reino Varela, as well as with the bishop of Spain and Portugal, Most Holy Timothy.

The official program also included a visit to a successful factory in Spain established by a Romanian entrepreneur and whose employees are all Romanians.

„With 18 years of existence, the Gesagui company has 128 Romanian employees who work either in the food warehouse, or in the meat products production unit, or in the confectionery-pastry laboratory or in the 11 retail stores. I had the opportunity to meet with Romanian workers in Spain, both during the visit to the Romanian company and at a meeting in physical format that took place at the embassy headquarters. I am proud of their achievements and congratulate them for the efforts they make to be respected as European citizens,” minister Marius Budai added.

According to the Ministry of Labour, over a million Romanians currently live in Spain, and more than 340,000 of them are contributors to the Spanish social security system.

Agerpres