In order to provide assistance to the vulnerable in the territory of the City of Vranje in exercising the right to cash social assistance, Praxis were sending via mail the requests on behalf of some citizens to Social Welfare Centre Vranje. Such assistance was the response to obstacles faced by citizens when submitting requests for exercising the right to social welfare, as the employees in SWC Vranje verbally rejected their requests or postponed receiving them.

At the beginning of February 2014, SWC Vranje informed Praxis by the notice “not to submit the requests on behalf of future beneficiaries of the Social Welfare Centre as it is necessary that a submitter of request is present as well as filling in prescribed forms and making statements for the records by future beneficiaries …”. In order to eliminate doubts related to Praxis’ activities, on 13 February 2014 a meeting was held with representatives of SWC Vranje. It was stressed that Praxis shall not submit requests for exercising the right to social welfare on behalf of clients but that the clients themselves shall submit the requests in writing in a form prescribed by the minister responsible for social protection, and that all necessary statements of clients may be required in the course of the procedure, in accordance with regulations regulating that procedure. SWC Vranje kept the same viewpoint that submitting requests requires presence of clients, contrary to the relevant normative framework.

Praxis will continue sending the written requests for exercising the right to cash social assistance of citizens to SWC Vranje and keep monitoring the further acting of the Centre.