ZAGREB, April 28 (Hina) - Around 205,000 people in Croatia receive various forms of welfare, for which 1.6 billion kuna (EUR216.2 million) is earmarked annually, Assistant Labour and Welfare Minister Nino Zganec said on Sunday, but
added it was questionable if all the assistance went to those needing it.
ZAGREB, April 28 (Hina) - Around 205,000 people in Croatia receive
various forms of welfare, for which 1.6 billion kuna (EUR216.2
million) is earmarked annually, Assistant Labour and Welfare
Minister Nino Zganec said on Sunday, but added it was questionable
if all the assistance went to those needing it. #L#
Compared to other European countries, Croatia is close to the
bottom in terms of welfare expenditure, Zganec told Hina. The
European average is 1.7 percent of Gross Domestic Product, whereas
in Croatia only 0.57 percent of GDP goes for welfare.
Earmarking an additional 0.5 percent of GDP for welfare would
completely wipe out poverty in Croatia, said Zganec.
According to World Bank estimates, there are currently 420,000 poor
people in Croatia, namely those who make less than 15,475 kuna
(EUR2,091) in annual income.
(hina) ha