Instead of repealing the decision to decrease allowances for mothers and return to previous amounts, Government of Montenegro will most likely repeal this allowance completely, in accordance with recommendations from World Bank that advised to rationalize public expenses, Dan daily learned from various sources in the executive branch.
Mothers said they would not accept the decrease of allowances, let alone their cancellation. Should the executive branch go through with that plan, they will organize new protests.
The Government formed an expert team that has a task to analyse implementation of Law on Social and Child Welfare, especially parts pertaining to women’s rights to allowances based on motherhood. The team should formally suggest cessation of such allowances.
WB recently warned that allowances for mothers of three and more children lead to increase in unemployment and that these allowances are too great of a burden for the state budget.
“Our response will be clear and it will surprise many. We are waiting to be invited for a meeting that was promised on Friday. We will protect our rights legally, and this includes protests as well”, said Zeljka Savkovic, representative of mothers.
She would not comment on possible cessation of allowances.
“We would not protest if cessation was our goal. The Government has reached peak arrogance, no meeting is scheduled yet. Our attitude is clear and we are looking to have decrease decision abandoned”, Savkovic said.
