Two new Flash Reports prepared by the European Social policy Network (ESPN) are now available and provide information on a recent healthcare reform in Cyprus and pension reform in Serbia.

• As a result of the economic crisis, waiting lists for public healthcare services in Cyprus have increased considerably. To tackle this issue, the Ministry of Health is expanding the system of referring patients to the private sector through the use of “coupons”. The reform is expected to benefit mostly low-income patients, who cannot afford buying medical services from the private sector.
• In October 2014, the Serbian Parliament adopted a Law introducing progressive cuts in above-average pensions to help contain the country’s budget deficit. It is estimated that around 40% of pensioners will be affected by the reform which is the object of ongoing debates due to the perceived violation of pensioners’ acquired rights and defiance of the existing pension scheme. In September 2015, the Constitutional Court rejected an initiative for legal arbitration of the Law.