Low monetary value for families in need, excluding categories in rural areas, but also unprepared with emergency funds. For these main reasons, the economic aid scheme is not helping Albanian families get out of poverty. Only 3% of the population managed to overcome scarcity during 2022.
"I have a mother with a pension of 150 thousand lek, what will she do with those lek first? It is sick and the prices are very high", says a citizen.
Even in the first draft published by the Ministry of Health for Social Protection 2023-2030, it is acknowledged that the economic aid scheme has had a limited impact on reducing poverty. 9% of the population benefit from the economic aid program, 70% of which is concentrated in Elbasan, Dibër, Korçë and Kukës, as the poorest regions. While the number of citizens in need remains high, economic experts call the current payment too low.
Suzana Guxholli, an economic expert, says: "Instead of helping the population to free itself from poverty, it has done the opposite."
The current calculation scheme favors urban areas, but excludes rural areas where the need is higher, so that calculation is expected to change. But, on the social level, experts say that direct support alone is not enough. Citizens also need more services.
The expenses for the payment of economic aid and disability in the 2024 budget for about 64 thousand families are predicted at the level of 26.25 billion ALL or 1.1% of GDP. (A2 Televizion)
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