By Reda Gilytė, LRT TV, LRT.lt.
Lithuania’s new government has pledged to raise pensions and child benefits as part of its program to combat poverty, but lawmakers and anti-poverty organisations warn the measures may be insufficient without broader increases in social spending.
Social Security and Labour Minister Jūratė Zailskienė acknowledged that poverty in Lithuania is declining slowly. She said the government plans to implement the program’s anti-poverty measures soon, including raising pensions, adjusting pension indexing, and increasing child allowances to ensure that people feel a tangible improvement by 2027.
“Special attention will be given to pensioners, because they are the most affected by poverty. Many can no longer afford even basic food items,” Zailskienė said.
She noted the recently established food council will examine price disparities, citing examples such as sour cream costing €1.80 in one store and €2.80 in another.
Nearly half of Lithuania’s pensioners live at the poverty line, defined as an income at 60% of the national median. The country’s largest food charity, Maisto Bankas (Food Bank), serves more than 200,000 people nationwide who cannot afford food, with over 200 visiting its Vilnius location daily.
Read more: LRT.LT
