By the end of 2025 at the latest, Montenegro should adopt a new Law on Social and Child Protection, change the regulations and standards for determining disability and establish a new institution, the Disability Assessment Institute, in order to eliminate abuses in the social and disability protection system. towards the labor market, and so that people who have a real disability and need for social assistance would receive better support and protection from the state.
This was stated in the Reform Agenda adopted by the Government of Montenegro in September and approved by the European Commission ten days ago. These are some of the obligations that Montenegro must fulfill in the process of joining the EU and in order to receive money from EU funds.
A large number of users and "disabled people"
The document states that the challenge related to the employability and activation of material security beneficiaries is one of the key problems of total unemployment in Montenegro, that out of the total number of registered, which was 37.499 unemployed persons in March, 16 percent are beneficiaries of material security who are not motivated to join the labor market.
In recent years, "Vijesti" has repeatedly pointed out the unusually high number of beneficiaries of financial support for families and other types of financial assistance in the municipalities of Rožaje, Berane, Plav, Gusinje, that in Rožaje the number of beneficiaries of social assistance is twice as large as the total number of employees. "News" indicated that the number of people who have "paper" that they are disabled is increasing drastically from year to year, that the amount of wages they apply for and which is subsidized by the state is increasing, that the total amount has exceeded 30 million euros per year, as well as that the number of people who have a "paper" on disability in Berane and Rožaje is more than a fifth of the population.
Of the total annual budget of the Employment Agency of 55 million euros, only three and a half million are measures for active employment, which is the essence of the work of this institution, and the rest are mostly compensations and subsidies for people with disabilities and other categories of beneficiaries of social protection rights , whose percentage, in relation to the number of inhabitants, is significantly higher than the regional and European average. The number of people who have a document on some form of disability has exceeded the figure of 60 thousand citizens, that is, they make up about ten percent of the total population.
Motivate aid beneficiaries to get a job
"The adoption of the new Law on Social and Child Protection is necessary for the purpose of reviewing the conditions for realizing the right to material security in the direction of better targeting of persons at risk of poverty, which contributes to the fulfillment of the recommendations from Negotiating Chapter 19: Social Policy and Employment. Practice has shown that it is necessary to improve the provisions of the Law related to the activation of able-bodied beneficiaries of material security, in order to motivate these persons for active participation in the labor market", the document states.
The structural characteristics of beneficiaries of material security from the records of the unemployed at the Employment Office indicate a particularly high participation of long-term unemployment in total unemployment, that is, that a significant number of beneficiaries of social assistance are not motivated to seek employment.
According to data from the Employment Service, 94,4 percent of social assistance beneficiaries have been registered for more than a year, and 64 percent do not even have a day of work experience.
"Through programs for training users for independent work, a faster transition of material security users into the world of work is made possible by harmonizing with the needs of employers for employment of persons with work experience. The goal of such programs is to increase employability and employment by gaining work experience for independent performance of work in the field of work of the acquired qualification of the education level," the document states.
A big challenge is the new disability assessment
This Agenda also says that a major challenge relates to the assessment and process of determining disability, and that these are key procedures for determining future eligibility for disability-related services, products or rights.
"Successful implementation of the reform of the structural disability determination system is a prerequisite for a comprehensive reform of the entire social security system. The existing system includes eight disability-related cash transfers, creating a complex administrative process for both institutions and beneficiaries. This complexity results in a lack of effective, efficient and transparent use of public funds. To address this issue, the second phase of the reform will introduce an inclusive cash transfer, consisting of three different amounts based on the level of support to be determined by the new Disability Assessment Institute. For example, the amounts can be 150 euros for individuals with low support needs, 300 euros for those with medium support needs and 700 euros for individuals who need 24-hour care and support," the Agenda stated.
The termination of the existing eight different types of cash payments to persons with disabilities will, as stated, have a threefold impact.
"First, it will create a more accessible and adequate support system for people with disabilities based on their specific needs. Second, it will significantly reduce the administrative burden on the centers for social work and reduce costs related to the administration of the rights of persons with disabilities. Finally, centers for social work will have the opportunity to devote more time to real and preventive social work, providing support to people and children who need it," the document states.
The ultimate goal is to reduce poverty
The new measures will aim to strengthen the function of case management and referral to social and child protection services, as well as to improve the quality of said services through supervision, monitoring and evaluation.
"Ultimately, strengthening this element of the system will contribute to a sustainable and continuous reduction of poverty and vulnerability of the population in the medium to long term. The main activities for the implementation of this reform are: Creating an analysis of the situation and needs for services in each municipality in Montenegro. The estimated initial cost for establishing services in the field of social and child protection is 20 million euros. It implies the introduction of various life support services in the community, the establishment of shelters as well as Small Group Communities and Foster Care Centers. Social and child protection reforms are recognized in the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans as well as in the framework of the European Pillar of Social Rights. The measure is also related to the key recommendations from the EC report," the document states.
It is from these funds that the Government expects to receive money for the requested reform of the social and disability protection system.
"Investments required for the implementation of the reform include financing the upgrade of the system to modern technologies, development of additional functionalities, regular maintenance of the system. In addition, it is necessary to provide the equipment necessary for the smooth use of the system at more than 30 physical locations, including centers for social work, homes for the elderly and other relevant institutions. The implementation time frame will depend on the complexity of the upgrade and improvement, but it is estimated that it will last until the end of 2027," the document stated.
200 million per year is now used for various fees, and 25 million is paid out of the system
The challenge for the reform of social welfare and disability protection also refers to the improvement of the integrated information system of social care (e-Social), the goal of which would be the determination and calculation of all financial expenditures at the state level based on the realization of rights in the field of social and child protection.
This is not the case now, as they state, because 12 percent, of the annual payment of around 200 million euros, is not calculated and does not go through this system.
"With this improvement, we will ultimately achieve a more effective, efficient and transparent use of public funds intended for social and child protection. By improving the system, we strive to build trust in institutions and reduce the risk of misuse of funds. More than 200 million euros are paid annually based on rights in the field of social and child protection, which leads us to the conclusion of the importance of monitoring the spending of funds in the most efficient way. In addition, the improvement includes the transition to new technology, which ensures the smooth functioning of the system and enables the improvement of its functionalities, as well as the introduction of online services, which will provide citizens with easier access to exercise their rights in the field of social and child protection, and is of particular importance for vulnerable population categories.
The Law on Disability Expertise until the end of 2024.
The Ministry of Social Welfare, Family Care and Demography, as stated, must establish a normative framework for the implementation of key reforms.
"Following the adoption of the Law on Unified Expertise on Disability and the establishment of the Institute for the Assessment of Disability, the Ministry of Social Welfare, Family Care and Demography will, after analyzing the costs of living for persons with disabilities, subsequently make changes in order to establish a single allowance for persons with disabilities," it was stated. in the report.
The adoption of the Law on Unified Disability Expertise is expected by the end of the year, and the establishment of the Institute is planned for 2025.
Bonus video:
