Azerbaijan, Bulgaria sign pension insurance agreement
By Rasana Gasimova
Azerbaijan and Bulgaria have signed an intergovernmental agreement on pension Insurance, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population has reported.
The document was signed on November 6 in Baku by Sahil Babayev, Azerbaijani Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population and Bulgarian Ambassador Nikolay Yankov at the DOST Agency.
It provides for the regulation of the pension provision issues between the countries, payments of social insurance contributions, creates legal conditions for ensuring the receipt of a pension by the two countries’ citizens, mutual recognition and protection of the pension earned by citizens of Azerbaijan and Bulgaria.
Prior to the meeting, the Bulgarian delegation familiarized themselves with the activities of the DOST Agency and its DOST Center, as well as the services provided to the population.
At the meeting, Babayev said that relations between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria are at the level of strategic partnership. He noted the important role of high-level visits in the development of relations. He added that there is great potential for further development of political and economic cooperation between the two countries.
Referring to the results of Azerbaijan’s socio-economic policy, Babayev said the two social packages implemented this year provide significant support to the population, covering a total of 4.2 million citizens.
Babayev also informed about the benefits of the DOST project, which enables to provide social services through a single window. He brought attention to social protection and active labor market programs and measures to develop an inclusive labor market implemented in the country.
Talking about cooperation with Bulgaria in the field of labor, employment and social protection, Babayev said that there are great opportunities for developing these relations. He noted that the agreement signed at the meeting is an important step in this direction.
In turn, Biser Petkov spoke about reforms in the areas of labor, employment, labor migration, demographics, pensions, disabled people, children and families, equal opportunities, social integration, social assistance and social services carried out in Bulgaria. Petkov expressed readiness to expand cooperation in the areas of mutual interest, as well as the exchange of experience.
Bulgaria and Azerbaijan are both members of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC). So far, more than 55 documents have been signed between the two countries.
The strategic partnership agreement, signed in 2015, opened up new opportunities for cooperation. The two countries also cooperate within the intergovernmental commission on cooperation established in 1999.
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