A Series of Unfounded Claims in the Show Nedjeljom u 2

The Government’s Public Relations Office announced that in the Sunday show of HTV Nedjeljom u 2, host Aleksandar Stanković made a series of unfounded claims regarding the legal provisions for child support and the resolution of issues faced by persons with disabilities, particularly the blind and deaf individuals.

In the statement, the Government’s Office emphasizes that the unfounded accusations against the current Government by Aleksandar Stanović regarding the non-establishment of a maintenance fund are primarily unfounded, as the recent amendments and supplements – adopted by the Government and accepted by the Croatian Parliament this month – have incorporated a series of provisions into the Family Law aimed at improving the status of children whose parents are obligated to pay for their maintenance. For the first time, the amendments and supplements have defined the minimum amount for monthly maintenance that a parent who does not live with the child is required to pay, which will range from 17 to 22 percent of the average salary in Croatia, depending on the child’s age.

Additionally, for children whose parents refuse to pay maintenance, a temporary allowance is provided, which will average 475.25 kuna per month per child, for which approximately 93 million kuna has been allocated in the State Budget for 2008. The accepted amendments and supplements, which will come into effect on January 1, 2008, aim to reduce the number of children currently without maintenance by about 10,000, and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is responsible for implementing these tasks through regional Centers for Social Welfare, as stated in the announcement. It is also reminded that the amendments and supplements to the Family Law have determined that children from parents who do not fulfill their obligations can claim arrears from the date the obligation arose, rather than from the moment the lawsuit was filed, as was previously regulated.

“In assessing the amount of maintenance for parents towards children with whom they do not live, the minimum amount for maintenance will no longer be calculated solely based on the parent’s income, but the entirety of their assets will be taken into account. It is evident from this that this Government has indeed taken concrete steps to protect children who are without maintenance,” the statement emphasizes.

The Government’s Public Relations Office considers the “unfounded accusations against Prime Minister Sanader and the Croatian Government (by host Stanković) regarding contacts with the Croatian Blind Union, knowledge of and resolution of current issues faced by blind individuals, and the increase in the amount of allowances for blind persons” to be unfounded. Prime Minister Sanader is familiar with all the requests of the Croatian Blind Union and associations of the blind in the Republic of Croatia, and has tasked Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Jadranka Kosor with all further contacts with them to resolve their issues, it is stated.

It is also noted that Deputy Prime Minister Kosor held a meeting this week, on the occasion of the International Day of Blind Persons, with representatives of associations of the blind, visually impaired, and deaf-blind individuals at the national level, where the initiative of the Croatian Blind Union regarding the adoption of a special law on allowances for blind persons was also discussed.
It is emphasized that “this Government, in its efforts to ensure an equal and dignified life for all persons with disabilities, including blind and deaf-blind individuals, has undertaken numerous activities so far,” and that “Croatia, as the third country in the world, signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities this year, and as the fourth country in the world, ratified this Convention.”

“During the term of this Government, athletes with disabilities, including blind athletes, have been equalized regarding the awarding of prizes for successes achieved in international competitions, the Government will also assist in the work of the Theatre of the Blind by employing one person starting next year, and this year the Government was also a sponsor of the 5th International Festival of the Blind,” states the Government’s Public Relations Office. It also reminds that the Government, through the Ministry of Family, Veterans, and Intergenerational Solidarity, has so far financed projects of associations of blind persons with around 4.5 million kuna, one of the significant projects being the translation of textbooks for blind and visually impaired children.

The Ministry of Family, Veterans, and Intergenerational Solidarity has printed a series of publications and documents in Braille that have been handed over to representatives of associations of the blind, visually impaired, and deaf-blind individuals, the National and University Library, and the Croatian Library for the Blind, and the Government will also assist in acquiring a new printer for Braille printing for the needs of the Croatian Library for the Blind. The Government is also financially participating in the construction of a Guide Dog Training Center in Zagreb, which is expected to be completed soon.

Under the auspices of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, and organized by the Ministry of Family, Veterans, and Intergenerational Solidarity and the Council of Europe, a European high-level conference on the Council of Europe’s Action Plan for Persons with Disabilities from 2006 to 2015 was held in Zagreb in September this year, attended by representatives of the Croatian Blind Union and other associations of the blind, visually impaired, and deaf-blind individuals, states the Government’s Public Relations Office in response to the claims made in the show Nedjeljom u 2. (H)