ZDK Government Allocates Over 5 Million BAM for Education, Social Protection and Institutional Support

(Patria) - At the 120th session of the Government of Zenica-Doboj Canton, chaired by Prime Minister Nezir Pivić, a set of decisions was adopted concerning the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports in the total amount of 4,310,000 BAM and the Ministry of Labour, Social Policy and Refugees in the amount of 762,184 BAM.

At the session, the Report on the Work of the Cantonal Prosecutor's Office of Zenica-Doboj Canton was also accepted and assessed as positive.

– The Government gives full support to the work of the Prosecutor's Office in terms of their independence, impartiality and objectivity. Our responsibility is to ensure financial frameworks for the smooth operation of the Prosecutor's Office, which we do through support for infrastructure projects and ensuring the material status of employees – said Prime Minister Nezir Pivić.

Regarding the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, the Government adopted several decisions with a total value of 4,310,000 BAM. Within these funds, part is intended for the procurement of free textbooks for students from first to ninth grade of primary school, which the Government of Zenica-Doboj Canton has been implementing for the third year. Also, within this amount, capital transfers to other levels of government in the amount of 2,300,000 BAM were approved, as well as current transfers for upbringing and education in the amount of 810,000 BAM.

For the Ministry of Labour, Social Policy and Refugees, transfers were approved in the total amount of 762,184 BAM. The funds are intended to support the program activities of the Red Cross of Zenica-Doboj Canton, the Citizens' Association Medica Zenica for the operation of the Safe House for women victims of domestic and community violence, and the Association Heart for Children with Cancer for supporting the work of the Parent House for children with cancer in the Federation of BiH for supporting the work of the Parent House for children with cancer in Sarajevo.

Part of the funds will also be directed towards covering housing costs for persons displaced from their homes damaged due to accidents in Zenica-Doboj Canton, with the aim of their urgent housing accommodation.

Minister of Labour, Social Policy and Refugees Antonio Šimunović explained that the Government of Zenica-Doboj Canton will also financially assist the temporary accommodation of ten families from Zenica who were displaced after an explosion in a residential building in the Crkvice neighbourhood.

– The ZDK Government will, for the period of their temporary displacement from apartments, co-finance accommodation costs to help families overcome this difficult situation – said Minister Šimunović.

He added that the ZDK Government today considered and adopted the Strategy for Improving the Rights and Position of Persons with Disabilities, thereby "setting a long-term framework for legal acts, which will soon be adopted by the ZDK Assembly."
Support was also approved for the Public Institution Pensioners' Home with a Nursing Home of Zenica-Doboj Canton for the continuation of financing the project Providing Mobile Home Care and Home Help for elderly and infirm persons accommodated in the Radakovo and Crkvice facilities, as well as for the Public Institution Centre for Children and Adults with Developmental Disabilities of Zenica-Doboj Canton.

Also, funds were approved for one-time and temporary financial assistance based on individual requests.