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Report of the Ombudsman: 1/3 of the population lives in difficult conditions

2024-05-07 08:01:00, Sociale CNA

At least 1/3 of the country's population lives in difficult conditions, while social support schemes should better target families in need.

The annual report of the People's Advocate (OP) office for 2023 focuses on the figures produced by the Institute of Statistics, but also on the complaints it has received regarding these issues.

According to the report, poverty (at-risk-of-poverty rate) in Albania remains high, over 22.0%. According to the results of the Survey of Income and Living Conditions (EUSILC) 2021 that measures living conditions, relative poverty and material deprivation in local families, published on 30.12.2022 by INSTAT; it is estimated that the level of social exclusion in Albania, i.e. of individuals at risk of poverty, or deeply materially deprived, or with very low intensity of work, is about 43.9% of the population. Severe material deprivation is estimated at 35.2% in 2021.

"This means that almost 1/3 of the population lives in very difficult economic conditions, referring to the study on "Social Protection Transfers to Poor Families", where the categories of expenses for poor families are listed, food occupies the greater expenditure, leaving negligible space for other expenses such as communication, culture," the report states.

The same document assesses that economic aid, which is an instrument aimed at categories in need, has room for improvement, something that is also accepted in strategic documents.

According to AP, the challenge of the reform for Economic Aid continues to be its low amount, the exclusion of families at risk of poverty from the scheme, the lack of coverage of all vulnerable categories, beneficiaries of economic aid and the lack of by-laws that determine the amount of the vital minimum and the adaptation of this measure in the time plan, as a limiting norm for the protection of the source of income of the citizens.

Specifically, during the year 2023, the institution of the People's Advocate has handled cases presented by citizens' complaints, or handled with initiative. Referring to the complaints registered during this year, it turns out that there are 35 such, of which 10 are initiated.

To deal with these cases, the institution of the People's Advocate has conducted administrative investigations, which have been concluded with their resolution in favor of the citizens and/or the clarification of the complainants regarding the legal reasons for the interruption or non-benefit of the requested assistance, accompanied by the relevant suggestions for solving the problems that have been addressed as well as addressing the problems through recommendations addressed to the responsible institutions./ Monitor Magazine