NEW YORK, Feb 14 (Hina) - The main tasks of the Croatian government include resolving the problems of unemployment, pension and health insurance and poverty, Croatian Labour and Social Welfare Minister Davorko Vidovic told the 39th
session of the UN Commission on Social Development. According to Vidovic, the main obstacle to resolving those problems is the country's difficult economic situation, due to which last year's allocations for social programmes were limited to less than 1.2 percent of Gross Domestic Product. More than 20 percent of Croatia's population are unemployed and there is one retiree per every worker, he said. "Ten years ago, that ratio was one to three," Vidovic said, adding this called for changes to the pension insurance system, which along with compulsory pension insurance now also includes another degree of compulsory insurance and additional pension insurance. The Croatian official also spok
NEW YORK, Feb 14 (Hina) - The main tasks of the Croatian government
include resolving the problems of unemployment, pension and health
insurance and poverty, Croatian Labour and Social Welfare Minister
Davorko Vidovic told the 39th session of the UN Commission on Social
Development.
According to Vidovic, the main obstacle to resolving those problems
is the country's difficult economic situation, due to which last
year's allocations for social programmes were limited to less than
1.2 percent of Gross Domestic Product.
More than 20 percent of Croatia's population are unemployed and
there is one retiree per every worker, he said.
"Ten years ago, that ratio was one to three," Vidovic said, adding
this called for changes to the pension insurance system, which
along with compulsory pension insurance now also includes another
degree of compulsory insurance and additional pension insurance.
The Croatian official also spoke about changes to the health care
system.
Although Croatia is not seriously affected by poverty, there is
"disparity between the rich and the poor, which is greater in
Croatia than in other countries in transition," Vidovic said.
Government programmes are aimed at protecting children, elderly
and disabled people, single parents and the victims of violence, he
said.
Vidovic also informed the session about the problem of refugees and
displaced persons, warning that the return was hampered by
"difficulties in the economic and social revitalisation of the war
affected-areas."
The main topic of the session was the strengthening of social
protection in globalised world.
Vidovic will also participate in a debate on the role of volunteers
in social work and meet several UN officials.
(hina) rml