Kosovo-S Switzerland pension agreement signed in spring

Cutting off the pension agreement between Kosovo and Switzerland was made in 2010. This agreement has been signed between the former Yugoslavia and Switzerland since 1962.

From 2010 until now Kosovars who contributed to Switzerland have worked and contributed there have not received pensions.

Skender Recica, Labour and Social Management Minister at the commission's meeting, said the agreement is expected to be signed late March.

I've been waiting for hundreds of family members who have this problem for 4-5 months, and I've felt bad that it hasn't been done enough on this case. End of March will be the time when the agreement will be signed on the basis of information I have from the Swiss ambassador to Kosovo”, Minister Recica has launched.

The minister said some of the pensions Kosovars will receive in Switzerland are contributing pensions, pension trust, disability pensions, test pensions, etc.

Kosovo citizens who have been working for a long time in Switzerland will be able to take over the pension in Kosovo. Citizens living in Switzerland and meeting the conditions then the Kosovar side is obliged to make money transfer”, Minister Recica has indicated.

Even though the agreement will be signed in spring this year, its ratification will take nearly six months.

The possibility of not accepting the pension in Kosovo is prolonged. This spring we'll expect it to happen. Ratification should take place in the Swiss and Kosovo parliament. Switzerland's Parliament has two rooms, and this agreement will go to one room once and then to the next room, that will last half a year because parliament meets 4 times per year”, posted Barbara Gysi, a member of the Commission for Social Policy in the Swiss Parliament.

Barbara Gys has explained that there have been people who have been against this deal, especially those of the far right, but added that they will try to convince their colleagues because this is also important for Switzerland.

Labour and Social Management Minister has announced that the agreement with the state of Belgium on pensions will be signed over the next week.

Flora Brovina, a member of the parliamentary Commission for Health, Labour and Social Peace stressed that workers who have worked for years in Switzerland have been subjected to human rights violations, denying pensions.

I've been informed about this case eight years ago. To workers who have worked so long has become a violation of human rights, it is painful that they have contributed to Switzerland's pension fund. If a Swiss should live in Kosovo after retirement could take the pension to Kosovo, but if a Kosovar could not get here, so here is the violation of human rights”, Brovina has said.

And the other member of this commission, Faton Topalli, said signing the agreement is not a good solution, as it will be implemented since the date it takes effect and will not cover the time vacuum for 8 years.

The pension issue is a black spot for both of our countries. It's without the responsibility of our government that has not reacted. The exiles were treated by both governments in a bad way. I am surprised that on May 31st, 2017, Minister Arbani declared that on June 1, 2017, the agreement would be signed, but this was dezinformation because Minister Recica said there was no signing of the agreement. It's not a good solution because it starts to be implemented since signing because what will happen for the last eight years that citizens have not received pensions”, Topalli has launched.

Minister Recica has announced that when the agreement is signed, a campaign to inform Kosovars how and where to apply for pensions will be launched.

He has added that social and health insurances under relevant legislation are included in the agreement, but once health insurance is made in Kosovo they will inform the Swiss authorities because there is a device for this part in the agreement.

Minister Recica has stressed that pensions will only be obtained from the day this agreement comes into force, so Kosovo citizens will not benefit revenues for the period from 2010 when this agreement has been terminated.

Barbara Gysy stressed that it is very difficult to get the money for the lost period of eight years, but hopes a solution will be found in the future.

I agree that stopping pensions has been a violation of human rights, so we have fought to make this deal. There have been situations of misuse of pensions, which has caused such problems. It's hard to get money for the lost period, it's important that people take all the money, I'm sorry it can't be done in this step, but at the next step, yes. I hope that the solution to the lost period is also to be found”, Gays said. /Cashho. com