said  Social Affairs and Housing (Sozavo) Minister Diana Pokie who added that “the system must be evaluated thoroughly.” The money card is the most important channel through which thousands of citizens receive their monthly aid.

 “It is time to change course in order to remove the serious inefficiencies and irregularities,” said the minister. Internal inspections revealed that people who are not entitled to welfare make a withdrawal every month while others groups that actually need welfare do not get selected due to a budget deficit. Most of the irregularities were detected in the payments of the purchasing power boost of  SRD 1,800 per

person. According to the available numbers about 46,000 people applied for the purchasing power boost. The list was managed directly by the Office of the President. Only SRD 240 million was available for this system which is why applications were accepted but they did not always guarantee payment.

 Minister Pokie emphasized that the card will be kept as an instrument but that a thorough downsizing of the list is necessary. “Freezing the Moni Karta means that people would no longer receive their payment and we will not do that. The clean up of the list will take place but it will not happen this year due to procedures and criteria.