site.btaBulgaria, Austria to Exchange Experience in Valuation of Work Capacity of Disabled

Bulgaria, Austria to Exchange Experience in Valuation of Work Capacity of Disabled

Vienna/Sofia, July 14 (BTA) - Labour and Social Policy Minister Zornitsa Roussinova acquainted her Austrian counterpart, Social Minister Alois Stoeger, with the concept of reform of medical expertise to evaluate work capacity in Bulgaria. Deputy Labour and Social Policy Minister Ivailo Ivanov also participated in the meeting in Vienna, the Labour Ministry said Thursday.

The plans are to divide medical expert opinion from the valuation of work capacity. The capacity of disabled to work will be judged after their inclusion in rehabilitation and requalification programmes, Roussinova said.

In turn, Stoeger presented the Austrian system in the field and the main measures to integrate people with disabilities though individual funding for adaptation on the job, projects for assisting qualification and employment, as well as personal assistants.

The sides also discussed various incentives to encourage employers to employ disabled and agreed that exchange of experience on the subject will continue. Bulgaria and Austria will also cooperate in the preparation of Bulgaria's Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Roussinova also visited a centre for vocational training and rehabilitation, aimed to help people who have undergone accidents or some disease to return back to work. The centre provides individual programmes for each case.