Croatia is to raise the guaranteed minimum monthly social welfare allowance from 800 kuna (€106) to 1,000 kuna (€133), and the monthly disability allowance from 1,500 kuna (€200) to 1,750 kuna (€233), according to a set of bills on social welfare that will receive a second reading in the national parliament.

The set was presented by Labour and Social Welfare Minister Josip Aladrovic at a news conference on Thursday.

He said that assets tests would be removed for disabled persons so that all of them will be entitled to personal disability allowance.

Presenting the social welfare bill and another six bills in this set that will overhaul the sectors of foster care, psychotherapy services, psychological services and other rehabilitation services and introduce some new services, the minister said that housing allowances for people in need and people with disabilities would be raised, too.

List of persons who can be given status of carers to be extended

The scope of persons who can be granted the status of carers will be enlarged under the new laws, which will make it possible for more and more children with disabilities and disabled adults to remain in their own homes and thus make institutionalisation rates lower, he added.

The new bills envisage the establishment of three public institutions: a Croatian Social Welfare Institute as a public institution encompassing the central institution and branches of social welfare services, instead of the current fragmented social welfare centres; a Family Centre; and a Social Welfare Academy.

The set of bills envisages the formation of a commission for dealing with complaints so as to make the social welfare system more open to end users.

(€1 = 7.5 kuna)