Mugoša: Increase the number of social-medical commissions and determine responsibility for delays in deciding on requests

At the initiative of European Union MP Boris Mugoša, a parliamentary hearing was held of the relevant Minister Gutić regarding the issues of the work of social and medical commissions and the fact that around 15 thousand requests from citizens are waiting for a decision from the authorities for several months, even though the deadline for deciding on a request is one month.

Mugoša pointed to numerous examples of citizens who have been waiting for months, even a year, for the authorities to respond to their requests for the exercise of legal rights under the Law on Social and Child Protection. He also pointed to examples in which the requests of oncological and other patients with serious medical indications have been rejected. He also pointed out that citizens have been left without related rights (subsidies for water, electricity, transport, etc.) due to delays in deciding on their requests.

He pointed out that social benefits are a (legal) right of citizens, not a privilege, and that it is the state's obligation to provide them with the same within the legally defined deadline.

"It is necessary to determine responsibility for serious challenges in this segment, to once again review the Regulation on Medical Indications for the Exercise of the Right to Material Security, Care and Assistance Allowance, Personal Disability Allowance and Compensation for Half-time Work, to increase the number of social and medical commissions in order to consider received requests in the shortest possible time, and to fulfill the promise of the authorities regarding the exercise of rights for children on the autism spectrum," Mugoša concludes.