The Minister of Social Policy, Demographics, and Youth, Gjoko Velkovski, held a working meeting with World Bank representatives: Ms. Manuela Sofia Stănculescu, Social Protection Specialist and Team Leader; Ms. Marijana Jasarevic, Senior Social Protection Specialist; Ms. Sanela Ljuca, Senior Operations Officer; and Ms. Georgiana Blaj, Social Protection Specialist. They discussed the implementation status of the Social Insurance Administration Project (SIAP), priority activities, and the next steps in its implementation.
SIAP is a significant reform project encompassing multiple systemic activities aimed at improving the mandatory social insurance system, the disability assessment system, professional rehabilitation, and employment support for persons with disabilities, as well as improving the system related to high-risk jobs and occupations that qualify for extended duration insurance service.
Significant progress has been made in implementing project activities over the past period. The Directorate for Managing the Mandatory Social Insurance Register has been established, and the development of the software solution for mandatory social insurance is in its final stage. The digitization of the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund’s archive has also been carried out, with approximately 53,000 files digitized. Additionally, a draft law has been prepared to regulate the service duration for which the M4 form is missing in the central records of the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund.
Regarding the disability assessment system, the piloting of the draft national methodology for disability assessment has been completed, the Coordination Body for Disability Assessment has been established, and the development of the software for administering the unified disability assessment system is in its final phase.
Furthermore, a draft text of the Law on Professional Rehabilitation and Employment Support for Persons with Disabilities has been drafted. A proposal has also been prepared to revise the list of high-risk jobs and occupations in the private and public sectors that qualify for extended duration insurance service, along with a technical specification for developing the Register of High-Risk Jobs and Occupations.
In the upcoming period, activities will continue with increased momentum to fully realize the initiated processes and further improve the mandatory social insurance records, the disability assessment system, and the system for professional rehabilitation and employment support for persons with disabilities.
Minister Gjoko Velkovski emphasized the importance of continuous cooperation with the World Bank in implementing the reform processes, aiming to create a more efficient, modern, and functional social insurance and protection system that will meet the needs of the citizens.
