site.btaNational Ombudsman: Reform of Social System for People with Disabilities to Start Next January

115 POLITICS - OMBUDSMAN - PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES - MEETING

National Ombudsman: Reform of Social System
for People with Disabilities
to Start Next January


Varna, on the Black Sea, August 14 (BTA) - The reform of the social system for people with disabilities will start on January 1, 2019, said here on Tuesday National Ombudsman Maya Manolova, who met with citizens and protesting mothers of disabled children. She explained that the changes are made for everyone and not just specific groups.

Manolova said that the financial support will be increased next year and a procedure will be launched for preparing individual assessments of disabled people. Legislative changes will bring order into the allocation of assistive devices. The significant changes in the system will start to be introduced in 2020, and until then, the Health Minister will have to prepare and present standards for the assistive devices, Manolova noted.

There will be a personal care act, the Ombudsman said, adding that it will allow personal care givers to be covered by social and health insurance. Order will be introduced into how and who is eligible for this service, because currently many municipalities have their own rules, Manolova said.

Starting in 2019, a new Personal Mobility and Accessible Environment fund will be launched. Social services legislation is currently being drafted, Manolova said. She vowed to demand sufficient services to be provided to people with disabilities, ranging from day care centres, medical, social and occupational rehabilitation, as well as their fair territorial distribution.

The Ombudsman said she has received many complaints by Varna residents with disabilities against the local ordinance for preferential public transport use. She has been assured by Varna Mayor Ivan Portnih that changes will be made in that regard.

Manolova also commented the practice by some municipalities to use private enforcement agents in order to collect overdue local taxes and fees. She has received numerous alerts that Varna Municipality acts in this manner too. According to Manolova, this policy is unfair to the people. It allows municipalities to achieve a high collection rate, but the question is that before being referred to a private enforcement agent, each citizen should be clearly informed about what they owe and given a reasonable deadline to pay voluntarily, she explained. Awareness is the fair attitude, because otherwise private enforcement agents burden debtors with additional fees, freeze their accounts and properties. LI/MY

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