Association “Sjena” Warns: If the proposed Personal Assistance Act passes, many persons with disabilities will be left to fend for themselves
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović met today in the Office of the President with representatives of the Association of Families of Children with Special Needs and Persons with Disabilities “Sjena,” which since 2013 has been providing support to families of children with developmental difficulties and disabled persons. Attending the meeting were Association President Suzana Rešetar, Vice President Marica Mikulić and member Sabina Lončar, who informed President Milanović about the new Personal Assistance Act, which they claim is not good and will not solve the problems of persons with disabilities or parents of children with disabilities or developmental difficulties.
The Personal Assistance Act has passed the public consultation process and should enter into force on the 1st of July this year, but representatives of the Association claim that numerous objections to the law have not been accepted at all. “We warned both the Prime Minister and the competent minister that the proposed law will not solve the problems, but they don’t seem to care and there is clearly no political will to solve the problems,” the Association representatives agree.
In order to raise awareness about the problems they face, in December the Association “Sjena” participated in organizing a protest on St. Mark’s Square. At the meeting with the President, they restated their objections to the proposed law: the parent of a child with developmental difficulties would not have the right to the status of ‘caregiver’ or to leave if the child has only one diagnosis; parents who are caregivers would lose their right to a personal assistant; disabled persons would not be able to choose an assistant on their own; they are demanding an increase in benefits based on disability and the provision of assistance to unemployed parents of children with developmental difficulties, etc.
“If the proposed Personal Assistance Act passes, many persons with disabilities will end up in social institutions or will be left to fend for themselves,” warn representatives of the Association. President Milanović was also informed about a number of other difficulties that parents of children with disabilities face every day. They say that state institutions often deprive them of the rights prescribed by law, so they must seek and exercise their rights through a lawyer.
Furthermore, the delegation asked why they have been waiting ten years for the adoption of the Inclusive Allowance Act, which would combine all benefits. “We held a series of meetings with the competent institutions, but we still do not see the authorities’ interest in changing anything,” concluded the discontented Association representatives.
President Milanović was accompanied at the meeting by the Adviser to the President of the Republic for Human Rights and Civil Society Melita Mulić.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Dario Andrišek