The 2012 bill envisions wage hikes

The Kosovo government, at the meeting held, has adopted the Kosovo Budget Bill for 2018.

The country's prime minister, Ramush Haradinaj, said that a valid job has been done in drafting the budget and that it is a secure and data-based budget that enables economic development.

I think there's been a real job done by Minister Hamza, of all colleagues, which results in the budget for next year, which is a budget first sure, which is based on real data. It is also a budget which with these parameters has immediately enabled a developmental launch for the country”, he said.

And Finance Minister Bedri Hamza said that through this budget proposal, they will make sure that economic growth, as the basis for budget development, will be stable and stable and that this budget reflects the best possible by adding that this draft is harmonised with the IMF.

Minister Hamza said there will be salary increases from January 1st 2018, as well as sustainable financing for various social schemes, including social aid, for a very important group of society and sustainable financing for war veterans. There will be substantial increases, for financing public-type capital projects, which will directly affect productivity growth in the private sector.

“This budget for wages and hires envisions salary increases for all employees in the public sector from January 2018. Salaries for increased employment in the country's strategic sector and employment for new institutions”, Hamza said.

Economic growth for 2018 is projected to be 4.6 per cent, according to him. Hamza said they expect that in 2018, total budget revenues will be worth 1 billion and 829m euros. In the draft budget of 2018, ATK's revenues are earmarked to total 446m euros, which is a 5.4 per cent increase compared to 2017. As revenues from Kosovo Customs, it is planned to reach 1 billion and 175m euros, or a 6 per cent increase in reporting to the previous year.

While saying the budget for 2018 will be 2 billion and 82m euros.

The Republic of Kosovo's “Budget, for 2018 with separated budgetary parts, will be 2 billion and 82 million. We have this budget in terms of spending according to economic categories. Spending on the salary and wages category for 2018 is estimated at 589m euros. A 4.3 per cent increase in proportion to the projected wage and hire expenses, with a draft revision of the 2017<18x1> budget, Hamza said.

Subventions and transfers are expected to reach the value of 525m euros in 2018, which is an increase of 6 percent compared to the 2017 budget. And in the category of capital spending for 2018, it is planned to have an increase of about 37 per cent in proportion to the revised 2017 budget, reaching 687m euros. The most important projects planned to be involved in these investments are the Pristina- Skopje highway, the M2 Pristina- Mitrovica road project, M3 Pristina/Pristina tree Street, the completion of the Skenderaj- Drenas highway, the expansion of the Gjakova highway or the Gjakova highway. The highway to Gjilan and also the other national character route to Podujevo.

For the health sector, budgetary division is proposed to increase by 21 per cent, which funding for health will be over 200m euros.

For the first time, the 2018 budget has brought total health financing to over 200m euros. Separation for essential drugs has increased to 36 per cent compared to the previous year. And for the first time, financing has been provided for the rent of specialists. Budgetary support has been provided for the employment of more than 200 medical professionals and 100 young nurses”, he said.

Health Minister Uran Ismaili said this budget is a step towards establishing health services.

“We found a very underfinanced M.S. with multiple debts. And this budget right now is the first step towards creating new momentum, raising improvements in medical services. I believe this budget will see a rise of quality, in the health sector, and we will also have promotions of medical personnel, which is very necessary”, he said.

Otherwise, for the functioning of justice, the 2018 budget envisions budget cuts worth 246m euros. The Ministry of Justice has a 9 per cent increase. Meanwhile, the Kosovo Judiciary Council 12 per cent, while the Kosovo Prosecutorial Council 27 per cent. Also, the budget for the Interior Ministry, KSF and AKI has increased by 13 per cent, creating space for higher efficiency