"Everything was put in one box - food, but also washing powder, soap and toothpaste. As it sat for a while, the flour, sugar, salt, rice, pasta, soup from the bag all took on the smell of the powder. I threw it all out on the terrace, where it has been standing for three days, but nothing has changed," the beneficiary of the social assistance package told "Vreme". This year, 111 million dinars have been set aside for packages, and it is questionable to what extent users can use them
The distribution of solidarity aid packages through the Association of Pensioners of Serbia (SAPENS) and the Association of Pensioners of Serbia (UPS) "Nezavisnost" began on May 20. Beneficiaries of pensions whose pension amount does not exceed 24.987,67 dinars are entitled to assistance. This year, about 111 million dinars were set aside for this action, significantly more than last year's 51 million dinars set aside for this purpose. The procurement of packages is entrusted to the Association of Pensioners of Serbia, which distributes them to associations and boards of pensioners for further distribution.
SAPENS has also published a public offer that states exactly what is included in the solidarity aid packages that will have to be delivered to 176 locations in Serbia. These are salt, sugar, flour, oil, rice, pasta, soup, tuna, baby soap, toothpaste and laundry detergent. The approximate number of packages is 55.000, and each one must be the same.
Is it a waste of money
Precisely because of the fact that each package must be the same, it is worrying when one of the aid beneficiaries complains that a large part of their package is unusable. In the package received by one user, whose name is known to the editorial office, all chemical products were placed in the same box with food, which is why the food products have a strong smell of laundry powder that does not evaporate for days.
"Everything was put in one box. And food, but also washing powder, soap and toothpaste - admittedly, separated in a nylon bag, but in the same box. As it sat for a while, the flour, sugar, salt, rice, pasta, soup from the bag all took on the smell of the powder. I threw it all out on the terrace, where it has been standing for three days, but nothing has changed," she explained to the "Vremena" portal, adding that this problem did not exist before.
"I have been receiving this for the third year already. There will be a kilogram or two of flour, rice, sugar, coffee, a couple of cans of sardines, tuna, some pate... There will be chemicals for cleaning, toilet and laundry, toothpaste, soap... Something that could be useful to one person in a month. Everything was fine until now," he points out.
Until now, it was the practice to receive aid in separate bags.
"In one bag it's powdery, in the other bag it's chemical." The first time I received a package was during the coronavirus pandemic, then I received a large box with the words 'City of Belgrade' written on it, but even then everything was fine because the powder was not packed in a box with food", says our interlocutor and she adds that she is sad because she cannot use the help.
"It is a phenomenal action. But in this way, I feel both hurt and embarrassed. Why are you helping me, if you're not really going to help me?"
The interlocutor of "Vremena" also says that, although it was announced that the packages would contain tuna, there was no canned food in the box that arrived to her on June 14.
There is no response from the PIO fund
Due to this user's allegation that the food items from the social assistance package are unusable, we asked the PIO fund if the injured citizens can complain to someone and why the package packaging practice was changed this year.
We have not received a response until the publication of this text.
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A black picture and the breakdown of the rule of law subscribeThe archive of the weekly Vreme includes all our digital editions, since the very beginning of our work. All issues can be downloaded in PDF format, by purchasing the digital edition, or you can read all available texts from the selected issue.
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