The Ministry of Agriculture did not increase old-age benefits from 40 to 50,2 euros, and the amount for these purposes in the Agricultural Budget remained the same as last year - 2,65 million euros.
About 5.000 users receive this compensation, so the annual amount of the budget should have been higher by about 600 euros.
Holders of family agricultural property, who live in the countryside and are engaged in agriculture, do not earn income on other grounds and are over 65 years old for men and 60 years old for women, are entitled to this allowance.
On December 27 last year, the Assembly adopted the amendment to the Law on Agriculture and Rural Development at the proposal of the then SNP MPs Neven Gošović and Obrad Gojković and the incumbent Aleksandar Damjanović.
This amendment provides that the amount of this allowance will be brought into line with half of the minimum pension of 100,4 euros, i.e. now at 50,2 euros. Since 2009, the fee has been 40 euros, which was determined by the Government at that time.
In the adopted amendments, it is written that the provisions shall enter into force on the day of publication in the Official Gazette and shall be applied from January 1, 2015.
President Filip Vujanović signed the decree announcing these changes on December 30, and they were published in the Official Gazette of January 5.
The Ministry of Agriculture, headed by Petar Ivanović, began paying old age benefits for January on January 28, and in the announcement at the time it was stated that the amount of 197.440 euros was paid for that month to 4.936 beneficiaries, which is exactly 40 euros each.
At the session of February 5, the government, at the proposal of the ministry, adopted the agricultural budget for this year, in which the item "elderly benefits program" remained in euros the same as last year, 2,65 million euros.
The proponents of the amendment stated in their explanation that the goal of their proposal is to improve the financial position of this vulnerable category of the population as much as possible. The amendment was adopted with a minimum majority of 41 votes and was supported by MPs from the opposition, SDP, LP and minority parties. DPS representatives were restrained.
Bonus video:
