Government decision to raise salaries remains irreversible

The Government of Kosovo's decision to raise salaries for the government cabinet cannot turn back. Despite opposition from the opposition, but also a part of civil society, according to legal experts, the only way to regulate the wage issue remains the adoption of the Law for the salaries of senior officials.

Florent Spahija, legal expert from the Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI), told Radio Free Europe that Kosovo's Assembly could make such a law acceleratedly.

To change the Constitutional Court's decision, the only option I would say is to adopt the Law for High Officials' salary. By law, the Assembly would limit or approve the Government's decision and act in ways that the law would limit the wages of prime minister, ministers, deputy ministers, senior government officials or other government officials who, with the government's decision, have benefited from the salary increase of”.

“In this case, the Parliament can at any time even with legal initiatives that could come from opposition deputies, other MPs or the Ministry of Finance itself can make such a legal initiative and accelerate to adopt such an important law for Kosovo”, Spahija says.

In December last year, the Kosovo government, led by Ramush Haradinaj, made a decision to raise government cabinet salaries. The decision was suspended for several months until the Constitutional Court of Kosovo ruled on June 11th that it is not unconstitutional.

Under that decision, the prime minister's salary of 1,500 euros will be 2,950 euros, while deputy prime ministers from 1,300 euros, to 2,500 euros.

A minister's salary has been around 1,200 euros, meanwhile, under that decision, will be 2,000 euros. However, over 70 deputy ministers, appointed at the Haradinaj government, will accept monthly salaries of 1,150 euros.

The decision to raise wages has already received an interpretation by the Constitutional Court, which, despite opposition claims, had not named it unconstitutional.

This decision, Spahija adds, has nowhere to dispute or how to dispute because the Constitutional Court adds, acts and judges on the basis of the Constitution is the final authority that gives the verdict in a certain case.

However, it may not mean that the Government's decision in the case of the salary is legitimate, and it may be a constitutional decision based on the Constitution, but it may not be legal and it may affect it by any other law that might influence someone to submit the verdict to another instance, in this case, in the court through the prosecution, and in this case the Government's decision, but not the Constitutional Court”, Spaja says.

The decision to raise wages has run into disagreements between Prime Minister Haradinaj and Finance Minister Bedri Hamza, who has refused to receive the growing salary.

Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj has no doubt named the position of Minister Hamza, until he has stressed that the decision to raise wages for the government cabinet will be temporary until the adoption of the wage level law.

Reactions to the Kosovo Government's decision have also been made by European Union Office chief in Pristina Natalia Apostolova. She had stated that the decision to raise government cabinet salaries in Kosovo should be withdrawn and the adoption of the new Law on Salaries expected.

Reactions to the Kosovo Government's decision to raise wages have also been made by civil society and opposition parties. The Vetevendosje movement has indicated that they have begun drafting criminal speculation regarding the Government's decision to raise government cabinet salaries.