Bulgarian Caretaker Govt Boasts Success in Helping Poor

Deyana Kostadinova, caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labor and Social Policy, photo by BGNES

The caretaker Bulgarian Cabinet reported Tuesday significant achievements in helping the most disadvantaged people in the country.

"I made five commitments and the first one was to use reserves in the State budget to help the most impoverished. Over BGN 41 N were redirected to them," said Deyana Kostadinova, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labor and Social Policy.

As Bulgaria's Parliament prepares to vote Wednesday on a new government panel headed by Prime Minister-designate, Plamen Oresharski, the caretaker Cabinet reports the results of its activities during its two months and a half in office.

According to Kostadinova, by the end of April 25 000 children have received one-time assistance in the amount of BGN 50; by the end of May 28 183 mothers of small children, up to 2 years of age, have also received one-time assistance, but their number is to reach up to 31 000 by the time the caretaker Cabinet leaves office.

The remaining funds have been directed to kitchens for the poor with 9 734 people using the service. 80 facilities have expressed desire to be included in the program and 19 projects for the opening of new kitchens have been submitted.

The caretaker Minister noted that a large portion of the fiscal resources were used to encourage employment, while changes in the rules to grant the so-called "energy assistance" would allow retirees, who used them in the winter of 2013, to have the right to do so in 2014 as well.

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