The government lets down its own citizens by amending the social law
Joint Communication from CSOs
Next Tuesday, the Parliament will debate draft Bill No T/1620, which includes an amendment to the Social Law. Yesterday, the Legislative Committee submitted an amendment to it under number T1620/13. The aim of the amendment remains to make the state less responsible than ever for its citizens in need and to exempt itself from the obligation to provide social services. The government has already taken steps in this direction, and the current amendment only reinforces this.
The changes to the social law in the amendment are the following:
The state would continue to rank itself as last among social security providers. The state would continue to rank itself last among the providers of social security. As yesterday's amendment states, the obligations to provide social care are first on individuals, then on families (private individuals), and then on municipalities - while tax revenues remain with the state and are distributed unequally among the other actors.
It introduces the concept of a social projection base for determining social benefits, instead of the application of the retirement pension minimum, decoupling the amount of social benefits from the pension minimum, thus preparing or ensuring that an otherwise long-needed increase in the minimum pension does not affect the amount of benefits.
The proposed amendment No 1620/7 to the draft sets the level of the foster care allowance in an unfair way, without taking inflation into account, which puts foster families further into financial difficulties.
In addition, amendment No T/2031 to the Health Act also affects the social care system: it places in-patients in in-patient specialised care units under the responsibility of the social sector, and makes the use of the care subject to the payment of a fee, which would be paid by the beneficiary on the basis of his/her income and declaration of assets.
The undersigned social service providers, advocacy and civil society organisations believe that the proposed amendments to the Social Law are unconstitutional and go against European law. According to Article XIX of the Fundamental Law (1) "Hungary shall endeavour to provide social security for all its citizens", and according to Article 13 of the European Social Charter published with Act C. of 1999, "States shall ensure that everyone who lacks sufficient resources (...) receives appropriate assistance".
According to the signatory organisations, it is unacceptable that in the current complex and persistent crisis situation, when more and more people need help, the government is not expanding but further reducing the already limited range of social policy instruments, distorting the role of social professionals as helpers and leaving its own citizens on their own.
Signatories
aHang
Akadályok nélkül csoport
Amnesty International Magyarország
Artemisszió Alapítvány
Autonómia Alapítvány
A Város Mindenkié
Civil Bázis
Civil Közoktatási Platform
Civil Kollégium Alapítvány
EJHA – Emberi Jogi Nevelők Hálózata
Elte Tátk Szociális Munka tanszék oktatói
Emberség Erejével Alapítvány
Esély Labor Egyesület
Gyerekesély Közhasznú Egyesület
Habitat for Humanity Magyarország
Humán Platform
InDaHouse Hungary EgyesületJogriporter Alapítvány
Kiút Egyesület
Kontúr Egyesület
Lépjünk, hogy léphessenek! Közhasznú Egyesület
Levegő Munkacsoport
Magyar Köztisztviselők Közalkalmazottak és Közszolgálati Dolgozók Szakszervezete (MKKSZ)
Menedék – Migránsokat Segítő Egyesület
Nyugodt Szív A Lakhatásért közhasznú alapítvány
Önállóan Lakni- Közösségben Élni
Ökotárs Alapítvány
SZIKRA Tehetséggondozó Egyesület
Szociális Ágazatban Dolgozók Szakszervezete (SZÁD)
Szociális Munkások Demokratikus Szakszervezete
Szociális Munkások Magyarországi Egyesülete (SZMME)
Szociális Területen Dolgozók Szakszervezete
Szociális Szakmai Szövetség
Társaság a Szabadságjogokért (TASZ)
Új Szemlélet Csoport
Utcajogász Egyesület
Utcáról Lakásba! Egyesület
Városkutatás Kft.
