The proposal for the Long-Term Care Act

The Government adopted the proposal for the Long-Term Care Act. The proposed Act will be submitted to the National Assembly for consideration under the emergency procedure.

According to paragraph one of Article 143 of the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly, the Government proposes that the National Assembly consider the proposal for the Long-Term Care Act under the emergency procedure, as its adoption is essential in order to prevent difficult-to-remedy consequences for the functioning of the state.  The proposed Act eliminates the shortcomings of the Long-Term Care Act (ZDOsk) by transferring competence regarding entry points to social work centres, regulating the area of financing long-term care (LTC), and allowing family member carers to continue providing services even after 1 January 2024.  As of the above date, the existing home care assistants will become family member carers. The provision of paragraph one of Article 134 introduces the presumption that, in addition to compliance with the other conditions, the requirement of the density of compulsory LTC insurance will be complied with upon the entry into force of this proposed Act as well.

The next shortcoming of the ZDOsk that will be eliminated by the proposed Act is that it regulates the gradual start of the exercise of rights to LTC.  The introduction of LTC is a comprehensive and important national social security project, and the ZDOsk sets 1 January 2024 as the starting date for the exercise of LTC rights. This deadline is too short for the transition to the new LTC system, as it does not allow for the timely implementation of activities to establish the system and the transition of contractors to the new LTC system.  The setting of an appropriate timeline is crucial for all stakeholders in order to ensure the financial conditions for work, personnel and the necessary system and support solutions for the implementation of LTC. Considering that the timeline set by the ZDOsk does not allow for the timely start of LTC implementation, it is necessary and urgent to determine anew the transitional period for the start of the exercise of LTC rights, so that the exercise of individual rights is postponed to a later date.

Systemic LTC regulation addresses a large part of the population, has major financial consequences and also impacts the other pillars of social security.  Since the implementation solutions envisaged by the ZDOsk cannot be implemented to the expected extent and within the envisaged deadlines, the adoption of the proposed Act is necessary to prevent irreversible consequences for the functioning of the state and the state budget.

Source: Ministry of a Solidarity-Based Future

Proposed new amendments to the Social Assistance Act

The government has determined the text of the proposal for the Act Amending the Social Assistance Act (proposed new amendments to the Social Assistance Act), which, inter alia, proposes the adoption of a legal basis for company scholarship in social assistance, as well as the necessary amendments to implement measures and absorb EU funds for measures to promote the social inclusion of persons exposed to the risk of poverty or social exclusion, including the most deprived persons and children.

One of the key amendments in the proposed new amendments to the Social Assistance Act relates to personnel issues in social assistance. Social work centres have been repeatedly pointing out that the personnel structure fails to expand in line with the increased workload. The calculation of the required additional staff at social work centres, drawn up in 2018, shows 81.63 percent staff occupancy. With the recruitment of additional staff (73 employees) in 2019, staff occupancy at social work centres increased to a total of 87.16 percent. The range between individual social work centres varies from 81.36 to 99.10 percent of the professional workers required to perform all statutory social assistance services, public powers, and tasks. Encouraging study and orientation to professional work with the most vulnerable groups of people is an important step towards reducing the deficit in this area of work.

Amendments absolutely necessary due to the adoption of the European Cohesion Policy Programme 2021-2027 (the Programme) are proposed. Measures within this specific objective of the Programme will be supported in order to promote the social inclusion of persons exposed to the risk of poverty or social exclusion, including the most deprived persons and children. The measures will be focused on social inclusion programmes, measures for the social inclusion of persons with special needs, the implementation of measures of a network of multi-generational centres and multipurpose Roma centres, the implementation of activities in the field of imprisoned persons and persons on probation, and measures to improve the inclusion of immigrants in the education system. The above-indicated objectives of the Programme are to be co-financed with the means of European funds; therefore, the relevant legal basis is to be adopted at the statutory level.

Considering the provisions of the State Administration Act, which transferred part of the competences in the field of social assistance to the Ministry of a Solidarity-Based Future, the proposed new amendments to the Social Assistance Act also provide for corrections and harmonisation as to content in relation to the transferred areas of work. Thus, institutional care and the areas of the elderly, which are governed by the Long-Term Care Act, are regulated.

In accordance with the implementation of these measures, the proposed new amendments to the Social Assistance Act – in light of the newly adopted Personal Data Protection Act – also regulate the legal bases for data collection, and introduce inspection covering the expertise of measure implementation.

Moreover, the proposed new amendments to the Social Assistance Act envisage financial consequences for the state budget in the amount of EUR 700,000.00.

Source: Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs, and Equal Opportunities

Revocation of the member of the Supervisory Board of Družba za upravljanje javnega potniškega prometa, d. o. o.

At today's session, the government, as the founder and sole shareholder of Družba za upravljanje javnega potniškega prometa, d. o. o., decided to revoke the member of the Supervisory Board of Družba za upravljanje javnega potniškega prometa, d. o. o., Gordana Pipan, as of 27 June 2023.

On 20 June 2023, Gordana Pipan presented her resignation as a member of the Supervisory Board of Družba za upravljanje javnega potniškega prometa, d. o. o. Consequently, the Minister of Environment, Climate, and Energy, mag. Bojan Kumer, responsible for public passenger transport in national transport and transboundary traffic, submitted a proposal for revocation.

Source: Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy