The government spends 200 million USD each year to help the people in
need through economic assistance for people with disabilities.
Together with other smaller projects, such as social welfare for the unemployed and the fund for the former political prisoners, the total social bill mounts up to 1,6% of the Gross Domestic Product.
This is equal to the average of the other countries in the region. The social spending structure during the years has made the World Bank say that the scheme is not efficient.
In 2000, the bill was 0,42% of the Gross Domestic Product for the disabled, and 0,84 for the economic assistance.
But this changed in the past year. The economic assitance for poor families was 0,27% of the Gross Domestic Product, while payments for the disabled people mounted up to 1,11%.
The number of people who benefit from the program has increased with 60,000 people in the past 6 years, reaching 170,000 in Total.
The World Bank says that a good portion of this bill is abusive. They say that 31% of these people have no disabilities at all or only partial ones, and are taking the payment unfairly.
The social assistance payment for the unemployed is abusive as well. World Bank data show that most of the poor families are left outside the scheme, while half of the payment goes to people who do not deserve it.
The authorities have discovered hundreds of abusive cases in the past months. The World Bank says that the Social Scheme in Albania needs strong interventions to reduce abuses and to help those who really are in need.
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