Switzerland's government consents to launch Kosovo pension payment

The Federal Council (the Swiss government) has decided at today's meeting: Kosovars who have worked in Switzerland and then returned to live in Kosovo will receive their age-and-inheritance pensions, as well as those of disabilities there as well. This has been impossible for them since April 1, 2010, to write albinfo.ch.

This became possible after the Federal Council approved the Social Security Agreement with Kosovo today and authorised President Alain Berset to put it into force by signing it. The term for his signature is not yet specified.

But, the agreement begins to be realised in practice after the two respective parliaments have approved it.

As said in a communiqué of Switzerland's Department of Internal Affairs (EDI) on the basis of this agreement is the same as that Switzerland has signed with other countries of the world, albinfo.ch conveys. It makes in particular co-ordination of the pensions of age and heritage (AHV) and of the disabled (IV) with the states it functions with.

The newest agreement, the one with Kosovo, allows abroad payment of pensions for Kosovo citizens. It includes a clause for mutual support in fighting security abuse.

Kosovo is the only country out of the former Yugoslavia that Switzerland has so far had no contractual relations in the social security field, writes albinfo.ch. This means that Kosovo citizens who have worked in Switzerland do not receive pensions and other social insurance from Switzerland in case they have decided to live in Kosovo.

Starting in 2010, Kosovo has developed legitimacy in the area of social security and established a corresponding infrastructure, the EDI communiqué says. The Federal Council in December 2016 had given the Interior Department a mandate to start negotiations regarding the new agreement. Negotiations were closed in June 2017.