4.8 Current debates and reforms
The new Government of the Republic of Croatia was formed in the summer of 2020, after parliamentary elections in Croatia. In the new Government, the competent state body for youth is the Central State Office for Demography and Youth (CSODY), established in August 2020 by the Regulation on the Internal Structure of the Central State Office for Demography and Youth. The newly formed CSODY took over the main responsibilities in the youth field from the former Ministry for Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy.
The State Audit Office (SAO) of the Republic of Croatia conducted a performance audit of measures and activities undertaken on poverty alleviation in the Republic of Croatia. The audit covered the period from 2014 to 2018. The audit focused on examining the measures and activities implemented by the Government of the Republic of Croatia and their impact on poverty alleviation, according to the implementation documents derived from the Strategy for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion in the Republic of Croatia 2014-2020. Based on the established facts and considering the objectives of the audit, the SAO has estimated that the measures and activities undertaken for poverty alleviation in the Republic of Croatia are only partially effective and require significant improvements.
At the beginning of 2022, the Republic of Croatia is in the phase of adopting seven laws as part of the reform of the social welfare system. These laws are related to three national plans adopted by the Government of the Republic of Croatia at the end of 2021.
The new Social Welfare Act sets out new measures. The fee for housing costs is being redefined, and there is an increase in the amount of the fee for the personal needs of the user, along with the right to accommodation service or organised housing. The new services, including comprehensive assessment and planning, prior expert assessment, social mentoring, and psycho-social treatment to prevent violent behaviour, are also prescribed.