The government has adopted changes to the Rules of Procedure of the Agency for Social Assistance (ASP). With its decree, the cabinet also approved internally compensated changes to the budget of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy (MLSP) for 2024.
Amendments to the Organizational Rules of the ASP provide for structural changes in individual administrative units and clarification of their functions with the aim of strengthening their administrative capacity and increasing the efficiency in the implementation of state policy in the field of social assistance, social services and the protection of the child. With the new provisions in the specialized administration of the agency, two new directorates are distinguished - “Social Services” and “Coordination and implementation of projects“.
It is intended for the directorates “Social assistance“ (DSP) to create mobile teams of social workers. They will provide round-the-clock support to children at risk who require urgent protection. The amendments to the Administrative Rules of the ASP do not foresee an increase in the number of its employees.
For the successful implementation of the structural reform, it is necessary to provide conditions for an increase in the remuneration of the employees of the Social Assistance Agency. Therefore, with the Decree approving internally compensated changes to the budget of the MTSP for 2024, it is proposed that personnel costs be increased by BGN 14,718,400. With these funds, new amounts of individual monthly salaries in ASP will be determined, starting from July 1 2024. The necessary resource will be provided at the expense of savings for maintenance and other current expenses under the budget of the Ministry of Education and Culture.