SaS Criticises Cuts to Care Allowances Under New Assessments

Bratislava, 26 May (TASR) - The opposition party Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) again criticises cases in which care allowances have been withdrawn on the basis of new integrated assessments. According to the party, the problem concerns hundreds of cases in which the health condition of the dependent person has not improved, yet the state-owned social insurer SP has significantly reduced the assessed level of dependency. The party called on Labour Minister Erik Tomas (Voice-SD) to hold talks with all relevant organisations to define problems in the assessment system. The Labour Ministry described the claims as scaremongering and a generalisation of individual cases. Freedom and Solidarity MP Martina Bajo Holeckova rejected the ministry's stance and referred to Minister Tomas's press conference on Monday (25 May). "On the basis of several individual cases in foster care, the minister immediately wanted to act, amend the law and create a working group. But here, when people have been saying for months that they are losing allowances and dependent people are being left at home without care, despite hundreds of complaints, he simply doesn't do anything, buries his head in the sand, shifts responsibility to the commissioner and says she should investigate it, while only delaying the matter," Bajo Holeckova said. The Labour, Social Affairs and Family Ministry said it considered it unfortunate when personal stories and the emotions of families in difficult situations are misused for political purposes, while the facts point to an overall increase in support. "The truth is that since the launch of the integrated assessment system, the number of approved care allowances has increased by 2,500 and exceeded 78,000 overall. The number of allowances for caring for children has also risen, despite concerns previously voiced. At the same time, this year we are once again increasing the care allowances themselves and have definitively abolished reductions based on the income of the dependent person," the ministry said. The ministry added that expert teams, often at ministerial level, are actively communicating on these issues with relevant organisations such as the Platform of Families and the Office of the Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities. "We do not need any political appeals from the opposition for this," the ministry said. At the same time, it also pledged to convene a working group, to which opposition representatives will be invited as well. The ministry pointed out that the reform of the assessment system was adopted following broad social dialogue with all relevant partners and was approved in Parliament by all MPs, including those of the current opposition. mf