On 28 October 2009, the Poverty Reduction Committee held its fourteenth sitting with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), at the Bor District Building in the form of a public hearing on the: “Position of the poor and the elderly in Serbia with a focus on the conditions in the District of Bor”. In addition to the Committee members and representatives of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the sitting, chaired by the Committee Chairperson Snezana Stojanovic-Plavsic, was also attended by representatives of the Bor District local self-government, directors of social work centres, Red Cross representatives, representatives of the Bor District pensioners’ association, as well as representatives of the local media. On the behalf of the hosts, the gathering was addressed by Sinisa Puceljovic, Prefect of the Bor District who gave an overview of the economic, social and demographic conditions in the District of Bor and pointed out the basic problems the local poor and the elderly face.

Snezana Stojanovic-Plavsic briefed the gathering on the Poverty Reduction Committee’s competencies and activities highlighting the importance of sittings held as public hearings outside of the National Assembly seat which are aimed at providing the deputies with direct insight into specific problems of the local self-governments, as well as familiarizing the citizens with the Committee’s role and activities through direct contact. Holding a sitting of the Poverty Reduction Committee in the seat of the Bor District is particularly significant in view of the fact that according to all statistical data this area belongs among the poorest in Serbia, and the sick and elderly are very badly poverty-stricken.

MSc Nadezda Sataric, representative of NGO “Amiti” and Milojka Milivojevic, member of “Amiti” and “Kokoro” provided an overview of statistical data and results of detailed research regarding the position and special needs for social care measures for the poor and elderly who are in the most difficult position in the south-east of Serbia, as well as recommendations for quality solutions which should be included in the new Law on Social Care, currently being drafted.

The following discussion gave voice to the numerous problems of the poor and elderly, such as: inaccessibility of local self-government authorities, social work centres and health care institutions to the elderly and sick, particularly those living in distant and inapproachable villages; very low Family Material Support (FMS) benefits, low pensions, as well as numerous people living with no income; loneliness and insufficient care of their nearest. Some of the suggested solutions included: introduction of social pensions; distinct FMS conditions for those capable of work and the disabled; amendment of existing laws granting the right to FMS to persons without property or less than half an acre of land; as well as stricter implementation of existing laws.

On 29 October 2009, the members of the Poverty Reduction Committee visited the village of Zlot and witnessed the extremely difficult position of the poor and elderly.