Law for president, opposition against eternal benefits

A portion of the commission members criticised, as the Public Administration Ministry said, unilaterally adjustment of salaries and privileges, saying that the answer to the wage law should be given.

In spite of that, the Commission for European Integration has adopted and prosecuted the draft law on changing and fulfilling the Law for the President of the Republic of Kosovo. Armend Zemaj from the LDK said the tendency of any institution to unilaterally regulate wages and privileges is unfair.

Any institution's ability to unilaterally regulate wages and privileges is unfair in our overall functioning system. This is creating and having great discrimination among institutions, it creates differences. It is unacceptable that some institutions since the end of the Republic of Kosovo's Parliament mandate have allowed them adequate, or eternal benefits, laws, regardless of their age. Despite the next salary, no matter the function, but other tasks they perform. This is really not taste good in relation to and to partners, people, but the citizens of the country. It is allowing every host of the institution to decide according to his will, contrary to the logic of the law and the use of the legal gaps that Kosovo has. The case is also with the government's salary up, now and when it comes and the response from the AKK that the Assembly does not do honor, nor other institutions”, he said.

While Fatmire Kolcaku-Mulja from the Vetevendosje Movement has criticised the government's wage hikes, saying institutional leaders are not setting a good example.

The best <x0). This is not only happening the tendency to regulate the current status of senior officials, who by violating the laws in power, increase the wages unilaterally, without relying on any legislation, and this will show the constitutional court, I believe that after being sent by 30 MPs, the Constitution was violated in case of unilateral wage raising in government. At the same time, I am totally against and will vote against, any election attempting to be adjusted even to the presidential institution. Let's get three assistants, official car, eternal salary. I really don't know whether this is about kings or ordinary people that most of them don't deserve and they don't deserve the posts they exercise”, he said.

Milaim Zeka from the Kosovo Initiative also voiced opposition to the law.

I am against this law myself. I am officially against it. Because countries sort it out separately. But I have no idea, nor opinion, I have absolute conviction that we are no state. And the moment we become a state, I am for these privileges. We're building the state, but we're not a country. We don't have functional parliaments that did control the executive, because if we did control the executive, the executive would raise the salaries. At wages, at certain privileges, not that we are a state, but that we are kingdoms, we are a mini-king. While, in a functional sense, we are snails”, he said.

Meanwhile, PDK commission member Zenun Pajaziti spoke about the president's merits.

For credit work, I think it's the session debate. We're dealing with a Presidential Bill. If it's about the current president, it's the man who, ten years ago, along with the political class, has made an activity that's taken care of. We are deputies and it is not good to repeatedly talk about salaries and agencies and benefits for many people who are responsible for different institutions in Kosovo. And we have the mandate as MP to regulate legislation to make them. We're talking about doing nothing. I think I should take the responsibility, take legal initiatives, try each other in the Assembly and as a party and as an MP, and move on. On the other hand, this bill is not belonging to EU legislation, I don't know how important it is that we as a commission gave a specific opinion on this bill. After a stance the AKK gave, I had prayed to all institutions in return for due responsibility when making such proposals and bills, regardless of what benefits and issues”, he said.

And Milaim Zeka demanded that the meeting be informed in detail of the visit to the European Parliament, which he called shameful.

I wish you as chairman to report to us today about the recent visit to the European Parliament, which I have called through a scripture a shameful visit. Because some members aren't telling you, but some members have really done us, at meetings with members of the European Parliament, by the way they conduct themselves, by the way of discussions, and by the way that when they returned to Kosovo, they are proud of what has not been adopted the common resolution between the Kosovo Parliament delegation and the EP”, he said./S. Bird/