Over 200 People with Disabilities to Receive Innovative Assistive Devices

We have made a decision that will allow over 200 more people with disabilities who need innovative assistive devices to get them today. This is what the outgoing Social Minister Borislav Gutsanov said at a briefing in the Council of Ministers after the end of the government meeting.

Outgoing Social Minister Borislav Gutsanov announced at a briefing at the Council of Ministers on January 21 that more than 200 people with disabilities in need of innovative assistive devices will receive them today.

“Several months ago, in an unprecedented move, we enabled over 2,000 people to access the most advanced assistive devices,” he said. Beneficiaries were allowed to choose the location from which to collect the devices through a tripartite agreement between themselves, the manufacturer, and the Ministry of Social Affairs. While devices were provided for 2,000 people, a waiting list remained.

With the new decision, an additional €5 million has been allocated, ensuring that all applicants will now be provided for, with no waiting list.

Gutsanov also announced the approval of a special coordination mechanism to support municipalities in disaster prevention, with a budget of just over €40 million. The funds are under the Recovery and Resilience Plan.

“It is not normal to react after a disaster asking why or how it happened. What matters most is taking preventive measures in advance to avoid accidents,” Gutsanov stated. He added that mayors and district governors will direct the measures to ensure their effectiveness.

Source: BTA