PM Dancila at meeting with representatives of persons with disabilities: We found solution for part of reported difficulties

Prime Minister Viorica Dancila stated on Wednesday, at a meeting with representatives of the support associations for people with disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, Down's Syndrome and rare diseases, that the Government has found a solution for a part of the reported difficulties.

According to a release of the Executive sent to AGERPRES, Viorica Dancila and several members of her Cabinet talked on Wednesday with representatives of the support associations for people with disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, Down's Syndrome and rare diseases about the measures taken by the Gov't as a response to their requests, as well as the solutions had in mind in the next period. These measures aim to ensure necessary treatment and therapies, integrated in the education public system, on the labour market and in the community.

"The consultations with you have given us not only a boost to respond to your requests, but to come up with new solutions that would improve the daily lives of children and persons with disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, Down syndrome, and rare diseases. The response that you are waiting for, unfortunately for so long, relates to normalcy. We found solutions for a part of the points we've put up for discussion. In the next period I propose a tight collaboration in order to identify the best measures for the problems you are confronted with," Viorica Dancila stated.

Furthermore, she pointed out the decisions which the Gov't has taken on ensuring the necessary funding for the functioning of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), by encouraging micro-enterprises and individuals to make donations (the emergency ordinance adopted on 20 March) and provide some residential social services for adults with disabilities and Respiro services nationwide (the decisions adopted on Wednesday by the Government).

Moreover, the Government head brought to mind the decisions on updating and expanding the criteria to establish the disability degree for persons with disabilities affected by rare diseases (joint order of Ministers of Health and Labor published in the Official Journal of Romania on 2 April), but also those aimed at eliminating the limitation existing so far for students with disabilities or diseases to choose between the medical and merit scholarship.

Furthermore, the PM announced that in the next period others measures are to be taken. In this context, Labour Minister Lia Olguta Vasilescu mentioned that there are envisaged measures for regulating the single transport ticket as alternative to travel cards granted for free to persons with severe and accentuated handicap and the manner to certificate the persons with disabilities (disability card), the introduction of a new voucher scheme for the purchase of technologies and assistance equipment providing the access of people with disabilities to computer and communication technology. Moreover, the Labour Minister showed that another concern is aimed at the continuous training of staff working in institutions, so as to ensure the necessary assistance to people with disabilities.

In respect to the increase of access on the labour market of persons with disabilities, both the Social Justice and Labour Ministry and the European Funds Ministry are working on projects funded for national and European funding.

"European Funds Minister Rovana Plumb underscored that by amending the Human Capital Operational Programme 155 million euro can be accessed. The funds are destined to projects that encourage the employment of persons with disabilities and will include both measures to support employers, by granting subsidies and accessibility to work environment and to support persons with disabilities. Moreover, in these projects there will also be included community integration measures and deinsitutionalisation of persons with disabilities," the release mentions.

Also attending the meeting at the Victoria Palace were Healthcare Minister Sorina Pintea, Education Minister Valentin Pop, Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici, representatives of institutions in charge with managing problems of people with disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, Down syndrome and rare diseases.

The consultations between these associations and representatives of the Gov't will continue, the release mentions. AGERPRES (RO - author: Madalina Cerban, editor: Antonia Nita; EN - author: Rodica State, editor: Adina Panaitescu)