Levica: New mothers left without income for months as maternity payments stall

Levica held a press conference today to warn that the disorder around payment of maternity benefits has not been resolved, despite public outcry and promises that the problem would be addressed. Evgenija Stankoska, a member of the party’s Central Committee, said the party has continued to receive testimonies in recent days from new mothers who are being left without income.

New reports of unpaid and partial payments

According to Levica, some mothers report receiving no payment at all, others only part of the amounts they are legally owed, and many still have no information about when they will be paid. The party said the reports include cases of women who are on medical leave because of pathological pregnancies.

Stankoska stressed the particular severity of those cases: "These are women with serious health complications and additional expenses who, precisely at a time when financial security is most needed, are left without income for months," she said.

She emphasized that the maternity allowance is not a government handout but a legal entitlement stemming from employment and the contributions workers have been making to the system for years. Levica criticised the new director of the Fund for Health Insurance, Zlatko Perinski, saying he has failed to put an end to the problem.

Stankoska also pointed to the responsibility of the Minister of Health, Sasho Klekovski, noting that he until recently held the post of director of the Fund and therefore cannot be detached from the issue.

The party demanded immediate action. Stankoska called for "urgent payment of all overdue maternity benefits, a public explanation for partial payments, the establishment of clear and fixed deadlines for payment of maternity benefits." Levica concluded that encouraging higher birth rates cannot be reduced to declarations: authorities must fulfil their legal obligations to mothers on time.

Photo: press material from the event