2.3 billion kuna for the most socially vulnerable citizens of Zagreb

The City of Zagreb is prepared for the global economic crisis and recession as the city’s social policy has been designed flexibly. This was stated on Tuesday by Zvonimir Šostar, the head of the City Office for Health, Work, Social Welfare, and Veterans.

Šostar made this statement while presenting the social policy of the City of Zagreb for the period from 2009 to 2012, valued at approximately 2.3 billion kuna for users of social programs in the City of Zagreb. Head Šostar emphasized that the City of Zagreb currently covers housing costs for one thousand five hundred Zagreb families, and 1,026 of them heated their homes this winter with firewood provided by the City. Financial assistance is provided to pensioners, with those living alone receiving 200 kuna per month, and those living with their families receiving 150 kuna.

The City has also taken care of the education of young people from families with lower socio-economic status and young people with disabilities, providing 10 student scholarships and 12 university scholarships in the 2008/2009 academic year.

As for plans, the City will build a home for the full-time care of 50 elderly and infirm individuals, and there are currently as many as 100 potential users. By building new homes for the elderly and infirm, one thousand new beds will be created, and 900 apartments will be allocated to the most socially vulnerable families.

The new social policy also includes the construction of new homes for pensioners and health homes, promoting foster care, establishing departments for Alzheimer’s patients, increased assistance for parents with one child, and many other programs.

Although he noted that this is not an election campaign, it is interesting that Bandić’s main health official has come forward with such a comprehensive program just four months before the local elections. Namely, the new social policy encompasses almost everyone in need of assistance, who could reward that assistance with their vote in the upcoming local elections.

The opportunity to boast that this program reflects democratic procedures was also utilized by the omnipresent mayor Milan Bandić in his opening speech, emphasizing that this is a logical continuation of years of joint efforts by the city administration and social partners, and striving for justice and fair distribution of the City’s financial opportunities to all citizens. (Mislav Nekić)