Balkan governments advance social, pension, and legal reforms

Several Balkan governments are advancing legislative changes affecting social welfare, pensions, and legal protections.

In Slovenia, the government has approved a budget rebalance aimed at maintaining a social state and supporting investments. The plan includes measures to rectify anomalies in long-term care, such as equalizing service payments for users and providing a monthly gross supplement of 300 euros for long-term care employees to ensure staffing stability through 2027.

In Croatia, the government proposed amendments to increase pension rights for veterans and their families. Effective January 2027, these changes will affect over 200,000 people, adjusting pension amounts based on the duration of service in combat and non-combat sectors, while also introducing volunteer supplements.

Montenegro is proposing stricter criminal code amendments to enhance child protection against sexual violence. These include new aggravating circumstances for sentencing, permanent bans on jobs involving contact with children, and addressing sexual exploitation via AI-generated content.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, discussions are underway regarding a new law to improve the status and pension rights of professional firefighters following a severe fire season.