In the six months since the introduction of social cards, around 22,000 people were left without cash social assistance. The relevant ministry does not clarify whether this is the result of fairer distribution. Non-governmental organizations are asking for an evaluation of the constitutionality of the Social Card Law, because, they say, it led to the unfair exclusion of beneficiaries, especially from already impoverished and marginalized groups.
Instead of providing security to people whose various life problems lead them to the brink of existence, the introduction of the social card system left many without help, according to Initiative A11.
"In one local self-government in Serbia, in two Roma settlements, 90 percent of people were excluded from the social protection system because they were engaged in the informal economy, i.e. collecting secondary raw materials, which were actually a source of income with social assistance, which is slightly more than 85 euros", says Danilo Ćurčić from Initiative A 11.
"People did not have the opportunity to influence in any way the decisions made to revoke their right to social assistance." "Some were notified, and as far as we know, no one has even received a decision to terminate them," says Andrea Colak from the European Center for Roma Rights.
