During discussion of the Draft Resolution (Reg. No. 1360), Committee members paid special attention to the steps envisaged in the Programme towards Social Protection of Pensioners, Veterans and the Disabled.
Committee members upheld Governmental commitments appertaining to improvements in the Retirement Benefit System based on Insurances principles; ensuring a fully-fledged life for persons with limited physical and mental abilities; a widened scope of Social Services, and involvement of Non-profit organisations for providing such services, through the creation of relevant legislative tools.
At the same time several provisions within the Programme should be improved, and among them those concerning the creation of an integral and well-balanced system for provision of Social Services, ensuring its accessibility to the Public and those with Selective Needs, better cohesion between the amount of Retirement Benefits due and the Insurance period and wages received by the insured persons.
Special focus was placed by Committee members on Governmental Committees concerning the Disabled, State Support for Rehabilitation and Employment of those with disabilities, distribution of integrated forms of Education for disabled children and young people in general educational institutions, and a more pro-active use of incentives for Employers to engage individuals with limited physical abilities.
The Committee also requires the Government to clarify its position concerning several unresolved matters, including better social protection for those involved in Nuclear Weapons Testing, Social Guarantees for those of Pre-retirement age made redundant due to reorganisation of companies, etc.
Committee members emphasized that several provisions of the Programme ( such as step-by-step replacement of Benefits by Selective Aid, and cancellation of legislative provision for ungrounded Benefit claims) arouse serious concern among Veterans and the Disabled, and their realisation requires a well thought-out and balanced approach through a wide area of public discussion.