Child benefits may also be subject to cuts.Photo: Andras Kralla
The state currently spends 840 million euros a year on child benefits – the coalition intends to consider reducing them, reports rus.err.ee.
Education Minister Kristina Kallas from the Eesti 200 party proposes providing benefits based on whether a family needs it or not.
“On the one hand, we spend a lot on child benefits compared to other EU countries. On the other hand, we have services for children – these are kindergartens, hobby groups, and specialists – speech therapists, psychologists. They are very difficult to find, and parents pay from their own pockets. Therefore, benefits must be paid to those who need them. And the money saved must be transferred to the service system,” Kallas said.
Minister of Social Affairs Signe Riisalo (Reform Party) has another proposal.
“I think that when the budget is considered in August, we should discuss reducing the ceiling for parental benefits, which today is three average salaries, which is more than 4,700 euros,” Riisalo noted.
Health Minister Riina Sikkut (Social Democratic Party) called for waiting for the analysts’ conclusions: “If we are talking about needs, then no matter how accurate the data was for last year, everything could change next year. People get divorced, lose their jobs, children grow up in one family or another. Calculating this need at the moment so that it is fair is very difficult.”
Source: www.dv.ee
