25.02.2021
Interview with Mincho Koralski: PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE IN CONSTANT LOCKDOWN
BUSINESS CARD:
- Mincho Koralski graduated in law from Sofia University
- He has worked as a financial auditor, specialist and chief specialist in State Social Insurance.
- He was chairman of the Social Security and vice-chairman of the Committee on Labor and Social Affairs
- After 1990 he was Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Welfare, first in the government of Dimitar Popov, then in the government of Filip Dimitrov.
- From 1992 to 1994 he was Chief Expert and Secretary of the Union for Citizens' Business Initiative
- Member of the Bureau of the International Social Security Federation
- Elected Member of Parliament in the 37th National Assembly and Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Welfare in the government of Jean Videnov
- Since January 3, 2006 he has been the Executive Director of the Agency for People with Disabilities
- Mr. Koralski, since the beginning of this year you should have been the State Agency for People with Disabilities, what happened?
- We are not a government agency yet, this has been postponed to 2022 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Interviews had to be conducted, a new structure had to be built, and due to epidemic measures and partial lockdowns, this could not happen. That is why the Law on People with Disabilities was amended.
However, during the coronavirus closure, the entire nation understood what the lives of people with disabilities looked like. In practice, people with disabilities cannot go to a restaurant, a shop, go out freely for the rest of their lives, and the healthy have started to rebel for several months of such a life. People with disabilities are in a constant "lockdown" and lack of social contacts.
- How many and what programs have you planned for this year?
- Our work is going on so far, as every year, so this year we started our programs, which are 7 in number. For them we have funding of nearly BGN 4 million.
- Are programs for an accessible environment the focus?
- Yes, but in addition to an accessible environment, there are other important programs such as support for self-employment, support for specialized enterprises, as well as cooperatives with investment projects. The new form of support - sheltered employment for people with multiple disabilities, is also a key program for people with disabilities. We are the smallest Agency in the country, we work 26 people, and we cover a huge contingent of people and we try to be as useful as possible for everyone, that's why we make online information days to be able to inform as many people as possible.
- How many people with disabilities are there in our country?
- Over 700,000 thousand in total. According to NSSI data, people with TEMC are separate. There are many who have not passed the TEMC, but this does not mean that they are not disabled. The task of our agency is precisely to bring to light the problems of people with disabilities and to make a policy that is useful at all times, and not to act piecemeal.
- Minister Sacheva announced BGN 9 million for projects and programs for employment of people with disabilities and about BGN 3 million for an accessible environment for people with disabilities, will they cover the needs of people with disabilities?
- There is funding and it is enough. All our programs are equally necessary. It is important to make them more accessible and clear to people so that more people can benefit from them.
-How?
- On our website we publish complete information and requirements for each program, in addition we hold videoconference meetings with stakeholders, and if necessary we provide additional information and assistance to people.
- Just over 30% are working people with disabilities out of a total of about 460,000 people with permanent disabilities, why is the percentage still low, what needs to change?
- The low percentage of employees is due to the fact that people with disabilities are still seen as incapable of work, there is still a sign of equality between deficit and working capacity. Until this changes, the percentage of people with disabilities will not change. We are trying to prove that a person, despite some deficits, can work and be complete. In addition, it is important to know that some deficits can be fully compensated. My TEMP decision says 100% disabled, but that doesn't mean I can't do my job 100%. Hundreds of thousands of people are in the same situation as me.
- Do employers have concerns that people with disabilities are not full-time employees?
- Employers think that even a person with 50% reduced working capacity can not be useful. In fact, however, 50% reduced working capacity under the TEMC means that a person can do almost anything under certain conditions and they are not impossible. We have developed a National Program for People with Disabilities that helps employers both adapt jobs and create and access jobs, including training the people they hire. It is important that employers are interested, and we have the policy for that. There is money for this, but the initiative belongs to the employers. It is important, given that there is a shortage of skilled labor, to consider that people with disabilities should not be neglected, because many of them are highly qualified.
- Are small or large companies more likely to hire people with disabilities and adapt space?
- The problem is not in the adaptation of the place, it is required for people with motor or sensory problems, but these are a small part of people with disabilities. The majority are people with physiological disabilities, for example, a woman with breast cancer is also disabled, but this in practice does not prevent her from performing her duties absolutely fully. There are a number of diseases that lead to disability - diabetes, herniated discs, etc., but this disability does not mean that it impairs their capacity and potential for work.
- What has changed with the introduction of a mandatory quota principle for hiring people with disabilities?
- Many employers were interested in how many employees have TEMP decisions, but did not announce them. In practice, people brought their telco decisions to light, and in practice a large part of the quotas were filled with people who work in the company anyway, but were afraid to give TEMPs so as not to be fired as incapable of work.
- Is there anything else to be desired in terms of accessibility?
- This is a vast topic that has a lot to work on. This accessible environment is not only for people with disabilities, it is also for mothers with wheelchairs, for the elderly, the accessible environment is important for everyone. The accessible environment solves the problems of healthy people, as well as people with disabilities. It's a matter of quality of life. Examples are the new trams and buses, they are comfortable for all people and do not make them difficult, and they are also adapted for people with disabilities. An accessible environment means mobility, mobility means life.
- Social enterprises have been involved in the fight against COVID from the very beginning, does their involvement continue?
- Yes, their commitment continues at the moment. All specialized companies work, because the production of masks and specialized clothing gave the opportunity to manifest themselves and get sales of their products. At this stage, these companies have no problems.
- I ask you about the problems of future retirees with a second pension? As a former Minister of Labor and Social Policy, what do you think about the adopted changes?
- It was accepted that the pension funds must return as much money as the person has put as a face value in the respective fund. In 20 years, this money, even at 1% interest, the amount should increase, and in practice what the funds do - if you have paid BGN 20,000, they give you exactly the same, as the explanation is that inflation has supposedly reduced the money. In fact, you lose, and the funds win because they have secured their profits. Their profit is not formed by the profitability of the shares, but is formed by service fees and various other fees and commissions imposed by the companies. In the west there are such funds, but they compete, and in our country they were introduced by law, and the only winners are the pension companies.
- Are there any risks for people from being harmed?
- Unlike banks, there are no guaranteed minimums in private pension funds. Another problem, however, is that the pension from the first pillar increases, and the pension from the second - no, in practice, if it is calculated that you will receive BGN 50 as a second pension, it remains that way without moving. Too many things are still unresolved and many problems remain, which are passed on to the insured.
- What would you advise people - should they transfer their money to the National Social Security Institute or to a private fund, why?
- For myself, I think it is best for the second pension to be in the National Social Security Institute. For the second pillar, I can say that the saying - "the money is yours" is not true, because the money is ours, but someone else is playing with it. One man who was the head of social security in the United States used to say, "Don't make these private funds, because that means throwing your money in gilded trash cans."
