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Every
citizen is entitled to normal living conditions
12.02.2008
During recent days, the Albanian
Helsinki Committee (AHC) has contacted, in
Tirana and other cities around the country,
citizens of different society strata, including
employees, unemployed persons, farmers, minority
representatives, pensioners, students, and
others. During conversations, they have
expressed their dissatisfaction and concerns
regarding different aspects of live, especially
the increase of prices of food products,
vegetables and bread, unemployment, and their
children’s education. AHC representatives have
observed very grave conditions in many of the
families they visited.
For the Albanian Helsinki
Committee, it is unjustifiable and unacceptable
that, after 17 years into the market economy
system, there are still families that are unable
to ensure daily food and who obtain food through
lists (get now, pay later system), including in
the country’s capital.
It is notable that although there
are claims of a decrease in the level of
unemployment, it still continues to remain high.
Numerous Albanian families face acute economic
and survival problems, which, in many cases,
have led to grave consequences for their lives
and their children’s, including illnesses and
even suicides.
AHC expresses its concern and is
of the opinion that, faced with such a
situation, there is a need for special attention
by local government bodies, the people’s
representatives in the Parliament, and
particularly by the Albanian Government. It is
necessary to assess with care, identify and
update data on families facing economic and
social problems and that need support.
AHC demands from the Albanian
Government that it inform the public with
transparency regarding concrete measures it will
undertake in order to minimize poverty and to
decrease the number of families living under the
vital minimum, to make a real assessment of the
living minimum and to undertake urgent measures
in support of families found in extreme poverty
conditions.
AHC expresses concern that a
considerable social stratum, because of the
uncontrolled increase of prices, has become even
poorer, which makes their lives even more
difficult. It is worth mentioning that in spite
of proimises for increasing the well-being of
Albanians, they remain disappointing
declarations.
AHC deems it necessary to
emphasize that the right to life indicates the
right to live as a human being and that right
may be realized through ensuring the normal
well-being of every citizen in the Republic of
Albania.
As article 25 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights notes:
“Everyone has the right to a
standard of living adequate for the health and
well-being of himself and of his family,
including food, clothing, housing, and medical
care and necessary social services ……. “
AHC brings to the attention of
the Government that it has the obligation to
ensure the well-being of children and their
care. Therefore, it is an urgent duty to
identify first children living in families in
extreme conditions.
In the conditions of the market
economy and when the country aspires to join the
European family, AHC recommends to the Albanian
Government to use control mechanisms to avert
abusive increases of prices, to monitor the
implementation of the poverty reduction
strategy, to mobilize all resources for
supporting families in extreme needs, and draft
subsidizing policies for vital foot items.
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