Protest pause in the Sejm, but the demand for stronger support for the weakest remains alive
The suspension of the Sejm demonstration does not mean the end of the struggle to improve the lives of the most vulnerable in the country. The push to raise the social pension has not yet yielded the desired outcome, and people with disabilities are described as being at the lowest rung of the hierarchy, according to KO MP Iwona Hartwich on Friday.
Since March 6, people with disabilities and their carers have occupied the Sejm. They are pressing to raise the social pension to the level of the lowest national wage, which is PLN 3,490 gross. The social pension is indexed annually and rose to PLN 1,588.44 gross starting March 1, 2023. The demonstrators presented a civil bill proposing an increase to the social pension as part of their campaign.
On Thursday, Hartwich announced on Facebook that the protesters would leave the Sejm building due to health concerns. At Friday’s press conference, she expressed gratitude to everyone who backed the protest and drew attention to the situation of people with disabilities.
For nineteen days, Poland watched the actions unfold. Hartwich asserted that people with disabilities have been treated with disregard by the ruling party and accused the authorities of insensitivity, callousness, and a lack of compassion.
Following an incident two days earlier when two mothers fainted after not being allowed to open a window for air, the decision was made to suspend the Sejm protest while continuing the fight for the welfare of the most vulnerable. Hartwich reiterated that the demand for an increased social pension had not been satisfied.
The KO representative noted the ongoing struggle and called for continued advocacy and solidarity.
The parliamentarian also announced that a bill aimed at increasing social pensions had been submitted for its first reading in the Sejm. She invited all disabled people and their families, along with supporters from across Poland, to the support center on the day of the procedure and promised to share the exact date in due course.
During the conference, Jakub Hartwich, the son of MP Iwona Hartwich, spoke as well. He expressed shame that his country does not provide adequate support to people with disabilities, hoping that this would change in the future. He emphasized the need to maintain public awareness and ensure that the movement does not lose momentum.
Meeting with Deputy Minister Paweł Wdówik
From the outset of the protest, the disabled community and their carers engaged with Deputy Minister Paweł Wdówik, the Government Plenipotentiary for the Disabled. Despite ongoing talks, the discussions did not lead to a concrete agreement.
In mid-March, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy announced the plan to introduce a new tiered support benefit for people with disabilities. The first and highest level of social assistance would equal twice the social pension and would begin in 2024. The second level would equal the social pension from 2025, and the third level would equal 50 percent of the social pension from 2026. The ministry also noted that informal carers could earn additional income from the healthcare allowance.
The proposal emerged from talks between the ministry’s leadership and another group within the OzN movement, representing people with disabilities.
Historically, the previous carers’ protest in the Sejm occurred in the spring of 2018. At that time, two demands were advanced: to tie the social pension to the minimum disability pension and to introduce a living allowance for those unable to work after turning 18, at a cost of PLN 500 per month. The demonstrators argued that one of these demands had been addressed at the time, with the social pension being increased. Following the protest, participants, including Iwona Hartwich, faced entry bans to the Sejm. In 2019, Hartwich ran for the Sejm as part of the Civic Coalition and won a seat.
READ ALSO: Hartwich critiсizes the disability agreement and remarks from a mother who spoke to the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy.
mly/PAP
Source: wPolityce