President Milanović receives representatives of Croatian Union of Associations of Persons with Disabilities: The state cannot run away from its obligations, it cannot just rely on EU Funds
On the occasion of International Day of Persons with Disabilities 3rd December, the President of the Republic received today representatives of the Croatian Union of Associations of Persons with Disabilities, umbrella organization of persons with disabilities in Croatia. The network of the Croatian Union of Associations of Persons with Disabilities (SOIH) is made up of 15 national federations and OSVIT as a network of protective workshops of Croatia, assembling more than 250 local associations of persons with all types of disabilities in the Republic of Croatia as a whole.
Although the occasion was International Day of Persons with Disabilities, multiple serious issues encountered by the associations and their members were discussed at the meeting. Moreover, the representatives of associations sought President Milanović’s support in solving key issues. According to the president of the Croatian Union of Associations of Persons with Disabilities Marica Mirić, one of the major issues is the funding of associations of persons with disabilities. It was stated that the EU Recovery Fund has large resources at its disposition that could be used for the needs of associations caring for persons with disabilities, but in practice the money is insufficiently absorbed. It is wished that the organization of the funding of members start as of 2024, Mirić noted.
The associations hope that some of the issues will be solved with the adoption of a new Personal Assistance Act that has been under public consultation since the beginning of December, and the plan is for it to enter into force on 1 July 2023. However, not all the associations are satisfied with the draft law, moreover, the executive director of the “Hrvatski savez slijepih” (Croatian Federation of the Blind) Andreja Veljača claims that the “proposed Personal Assistance Act” is a disgrace”. In her words not one of the proposals of the Federation of the Blind has been accepted, and they are especially dissatisfied because a means test is once again being introduced. The president of the “Savez gluhih I nagluhih” (Federation of the Deaf and the Hearing Impaired) Jadranka Krstić said that their proposals cannot be considered, and agreed with criticism of the proposed act.
“The state cannot run away from its obligations, it cannot just rely on EU Funds. That is the task of the government and it must find solutions for the needs of persons with disabilities”, President Milanović stated at the meeting, and he considers the demands discussed to be justified.
Attending the meeting alongside the president of the Croatian Union of Associations of Persons with Disabilities Marica Mirić were the president of the “Hrvatski savez udruga invalida rada” (Croatian Federation of Associations of Disabled Workers) Ante Štulić, president of the Croatian Paralympic Committee Ratko Kovačić, the executive director of the Croatian Muscular Dystrophy Association Sanja Rimac, president of the Croatian Association of Societies of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities Ozren Catela, outgoing president of the “Hrvatski saveza gluhih i nagluhih” (Croatian Federation of the Deaf and the Hearing Impaired) Jadranka Krstić and sign language interpreter Justina Zajc, newly-elected president of the Croatian Federation of the Deaf and the Hearing Impaired Dijana Vincek, the president of the Association of War Disabled Civilians of Croatia Ante Kalina, the executive director of the “Savez društava multiple skleroze Hrvatske” (Federation of Societies of Multiple Sclerosis of Croatia) Dijana Roginić, president of the “Hrvatski savez udruga osoba s tjelesnim invaliditetom” (Croatian Union of Associations of Persons with Physical Disabilities) Jozefina Kranjčec, the president of the “Savez udruga za autizam Hrvatske” (Federation of Associations of Autism Croatia) Lidija Penko, president of the “Hrvatski savez udruga za mlade i studente s invaliditetom” (Croatian Federation of Associations of Youth and Students with Disabilities) Denis Marijon, the president of the Croatian Cerebral Palsy Association Ivica Bašić, the president of the “Hrvatska udruga paraplegičara i tetraplegičara” (Croatian Association of Paraplegics and Tetraplegics) Bojan Hajdin, the president of the “Hrvatska udruga za školovanje pasa vodiča i mobilitet uz psa vodiča” (Croatian Association for the Training of Guide Dogs and Mobility with a Guide Dog) Mira Katalenić, the executive director of the “Hrvatski savez slijepih” (Croatian Association of the Blind) Andreja Veljača and guide dog handler Petar Glavaš, and the president of the “Hrvatski savez gluhoslijepih osoba “Dodir” (Croatian Federation of Deaf-Blind Persons” – Dodir) Sanja Tarczay, and interpreter Karla Silić.
Alongside President Milanović at the meeting was the Adviser to the President for Human rights and Civil Society Melita Mulić.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Tomislav Bušljeta