Measures to help the poor announced by the president Aleksandar Vučić are a continuation of the propaganda program, while there are no systematic measures to fight poverty in Serbia, she announced Initiative A11 on the occasion of commemorating August 9, the World Day of the Poor.
"The announcement by the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, that 'people who live harder' expect 'big and good news' from the end of August in the form of cheaper products in stores, more favorable loans and interest rates, concessions for electricity and other measures 'for the middle class and somewhat poorer' are just a continuation of the propaganda program in the era of political crisis, which is the only period when the quality of life is at all questioned and the announced measures are presented as a salvation at the right moment," reports A11. New economy.
In 1994, the United Nations established August 9 as the World Day of the Poor, and in Serbia, every fifth citizen is at risk of poverty, according to data from the RZS, which A11 refers to.
"Until now, the A11 initiative has emphasized the invisibility and denial of the problem of poverty in our society, which is reflected in the narrative of representatives of public authorities that the standard of living in Serbia is getting better. And while such a narrative is ubiquitous, it is noticeable that the decision-makers in recent weeks have been focused on the opposite story - on the need to financially help the poor and on the silent acknowledgment that the actual situation in terms of the standard of living is devastating," the statement reads.
This organization warns that, despite the crisis periods, there are no measures to combat poverty in Serbia.
In 2024, the average monthly income in money and in kind per household amounted to 97.705 dinars (RZS), and expenditures for personal consumption of households amounted to 98.165 dinars, which means that citizens are constantly living "in the red", according to A11.
"Even 15 percent of citizens cannot afford meat or fish every other day, while 9,3 percent of citizens cannot afford adequate home heating. According to research by the Republic Institute of Statistics, only 0,6 percent of citizens have no problems with income, while 11,4 percent say that it is very difficult to 'make ends meet,'" the announcement states.
"Populism is not the way"
As they say in A11, Serbia still does not have valid umbrella documents such as the Poverty Reduction Strategy and the Social Protection Strategy, and the most vulnerable citizens from 2022 are constantly suffering the unfathomable consequences of the implementation of the Law on the Social Card, which deprives the poor of cash social assistance, often the only source of income.
Since the beginning of the implementation of this law, almost 60.000 of the poorest citizens have been deprived of the right to cash social assistance, according to the announcement.
"Populism is not the way to improve the standard of living of citizens. It can be achieved through responsible social policy and a fair system of social protection, equal opportunity for education and treatment, as well as through the law on the side of labor, not capital. Poverty reduction cannot be the result of the action of a system that both produces and uses it," say Initiative A11.
As stated, measures to combat poverty should be the result of extensive analysis, based on evidence, data and an approach that will ensure that no one is left out and most importantly - on the principles of social justice and respect for human dignity.
"It is almost impossible to expect such an approach from those who have been using other people's poverty as a political tool for years," added A11.
Source: New Economy
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