Minister of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs Milica Đurđević Stamenkovski said during a visit to Ljubovija that social protection and social security are the foundation of responsible state policy and represent the government's obligation to its citizens.
"Social protection and social security are not just a promise. They are our duty, our obligation and an absolute priority of internal policy," the minister emphasized during the celebration of the jubilee of the Social Work Center and the Institution for Adults and Elderly in Ljubovija.
She pointed out that the support package for citizens, with a total value of 583.7 million euros, is the result of conversations with citizens and an assessment of their needs, with the aim of preserving the living standard of the most vulnerable categories of the population.
"These measures are intended for socially vulnerable families, pensioners, beneficiaries of child allowance and veterans. These are the people who built, protected and defended Serbia, and it is our obligation that the state is with them today and provides them with additional security," the minister said.
Speaking about specific measures, Đurđević Stamenkovski recalled that veterans will receive a one-time assistance of 10,000 dinars, while beneficiaries of the veterans' supplement will receive 25,000 dinars in one-time support.
Pensioners, depending on the amount of their pension, will receive a one-time cash assistance of 20,000 to 35,000 dinars, 30,000 vouchers will be distributed for vacation and rehabilitation, measures to support energy-vulnerable households will continue, and the state will also provide additional reduction of medication costs.
During the visit to the Institution for Adults and Elderly in Ljubovija, the minister spoke with users and employees, assessing that this institution represents an example of good practice because, in addition to accommodation, it enables recovery, rehabilitation and return to independent living.
She announced that the Ministry will allocate funds for the purchase of a utility vehicle, in accordance with the institution's needs, and that it will consider possibilities for expanding its accommodation capacity.
"There may be a crisis in the world, but in Serbia there must be no crisis in any household. Care for people is the most important goal of any responsible policy, because when you protect people, you also protect the state," the minister concluded.
