Bearing in mind the current demographic picture, that every fifth inhabitant of Serbia is older than 60 years, as well as the expected tendencies regarding natural growth and general aging of the population, social inclusion of the elderly should be among top priorities when creating public policies, stressed the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality Brankica Jankovic at the round table “Solidarity with Older Persons”.

State and society care about the elderly is a more complex issue than the sustainability of the pension system, said Jankovic, adding that issue of attitude towards the elderly requires systematic approach and solutions. She also stressed the need for a comprehensive analysis and reforming the existing system of pension and disability insurance, health and social care, in order to improve it and create fair-minded conditions for all citizens.

Jankovic emphasized that the elderly in villages are particularly vulnerable, and that therefore she sent an Initiative for amending the Law on Social Protection to the Ministry of Labor, Veterans’ Affairs and Social Affairs in the part referring to the prescribed size of ​​land area as a general condition for exercising the right to financial social assistance to individuals or families. The reason for the introduction of this initiative, according to the Commissioner, is the fact that elderly family households that possess land area greater than prescribed, often are on the verge of poverty and are in need of help.

Other speakers at the round table “Solidarity with Older Persons”, organized by weekly magazine Vreme, were also Nadezda Sataric from NGO “Amiti”, Milos Grabundzija from the Pensioners ‘Union of Serbia and Mihajlo Radovic from the Association of Pensioners’ Unions.