Municipalities are asking to give less money for day care centers because they are in a bad financial situation

The Union of Municipalities of Montenegro (ZOCG) asked the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare to adopt a new financing model for day care centers for children with developmental disabilities, in which the participation of municipalities would be up to 30 percent.

The reason for this, according to the announcement, is that it is a service for which the state is responsible for providing and financing, as well as the fact that a large number of municipalities are in a difficult financial situation.

They also submitted to the Ministry an Analysis of the funds allocated by local self-government units for services and benefits in the field of social and child protection for the period 2020-2022. years.

"The analysis carried out showed that in a period of three years, the municipalities set aside over 12 million euros for services in the field of social and child protection, of which around nine million were for day care centers. Of this, over six million were for the costs of their functioning and around three million for the construction of facilities for day care centers", announced the Community of Municipalities.

They point out that the data obtained show that at the end of 2019, some day care centers were left without payment from the state budget of the corresponding funds in the amount of 150 euros per user.

"On the initiative of the Community of Municipalities and the Ombudsman, with the support of the Committee for Human Rights and Freedoms of the Parliament of Montenegro, this amount was increased to 250 euros, which the state pays out of the 900 euros of total monthly expenses per user, whereby the parents of the children of the users are completely exempted from paying" , they said from ZOCG.

They say that by reducing the financial requirements for municipalities to provide this service, which is the original competence of the state, it would be possible to finance specific services for which there is a need in the local community.

"On several occasions, ZOCG pointed out these problems at the sessions of the Committee for Human Rights and Freedoms of the Parliament of Montenegro, which in its official conclusions supports and recommends establishing a sustainable model of financing day care centers, in consultation with all line ministries, the Community of Municipalities, the Ombudsman and UNICEF in Montenegro, with the fact that the state's participation in these costs should be increased," the announcement reads.

The community, they added, expressed a negative opinion on the Rulebook on Amendments to the Rulebook on the Amount of Funds for Development, i.e. the financing of social and child protection services and the criteria for their distribution, indicating that the fact that the municipalities did not adopt local action plans should not be a reason for denying state transfers for these purposes, since the funds are earmarked in the budget of the state and municipalities.

"ZOCG believes that it will establish a quality dialogue with the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, in order to determine, with the participation of other government departments, a sustainable model of financing day care centers and ensure the continuity of providing this much-needed service to children with developmental disabilities," they concluded.