The Minister of Health and Social Protection, Albana Koçiu, announced today that the government has allocated a year-end reward to 275,000 families and individuals benefiting from social welfare programs.

In a statement to the media, Minister Koçiu said, “A reward of 15,000 lek (approximately 150 euros) will be provided to families in need receiving economic aid, children without parental care, individuals with first-category disability status, tetraplegics, and those with visual impairment. For the first time this year, the year-end reward will also be given to the assistants and caregivers of persons with disabilities. There are 18,000 assistants and caregivers who will also receive this reward.

The Minister stated that a fund of approximately 2.1 billion lek has been allocated from the state budget, which will be distributed to all families and individuals in need.

The Minister also discussed the review of the economic aid scheme in line with the goal of integrating and empowering recipients. “In addition to financial assistance, we are re-evaluating how benefits are assessed and distributed under the social protection scheme. Today, another important decision was made regarding the strengthening of individuals who are an active part of the workforce and who are currently beneficiaries of economic aid. This means that adult members of these families who are part of the workforce will be referred to the Agency for Vocational Training—not only for job placement but also to develop personal skills so they can secure an income for their families. What’s crucial for us is that every family receiving economic aid gets the support they need, but that is not the ultimate solution. We need to empower individuals within the family so they can sustain their own households,” concluded the Minister of Health and Social Protection, Albana Koçiu.