Waiting for 2 billion euros' return from Serbia

Kosovo Pension Fund Return Issue From Serbia Could Be Involved in the context of conversation Between Pristina and Belgrade in Brussels.

Serbia's state had halted the contributions of Kosovo pensioners from June 1999, following the end of the recent war in Kosovo. Since then, before 1999 pensioners have failed to get their money from this fund, while, according to the Pensioners ' Association, a considerable number have already changed their lives and the issue of retirement inheritance remains questionable.

According to close estimates presented by pensioners' associations, the amount of the Kosovo Pension Fund, which was received from Serbia, reportedly amounts to value Over two billion euros.

In all the efforts of retired representatives, some of the pensioners do not expect this fund could return to Kosovo.

68-year-old pensioner Feriz Berisha, by law profession, stresses that a large number of pensioners have already passed away. For this, Berisha says competent authority during their commitment should ensure that with Serbia's fund's eventual return, the right to inheritance by family members will be recognised, for the fact that many pensioners by then may no longer live.

Therefore, our institutions here in the first place, even with the help of international mediators, must resolve this issue so that these contributions can be returned to people who belong to”, he says.

According to Pensioners ' Associations, in the period when so illegal Serbia has received the Pension Fund, the number of pensioners is estimated to be over 89 thousand.

Meanwhile, according to them, there are about 50,000 pensioners, who expect the realisation of their right to compensation pensions.

Shaban Kelmendi, adviser to the Independent Union of Pensioners and Invaleds of Kosovo, tells Radio Free Europe that competent authorities in Kosovo have not been paying attention to this problem.

Kelmendi does not rule out the possibility of resolving the issue of compensation for their pensions being considered in Kosovo's dialogue Serbia, but, however, he insists that this issue be resolved through the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

“About 43 thousand euros must be received by each Kosovo pensioner. If the pensioner is alive, he takes the means for himself, if his pension is dead, his wife receives it. If his wife is dead, the money is taken from the close family member who has cared for him, says Kelmendi.

On the other hand, Bahri Xhaferi director of the Department of Pensions at the Ministry of Labour and Social Management, says the issue exceeds the competencies of this ministry. In a conversation for Radio Free Europe, Xhaferi says the question of return Pension Fund The respective negotiating teams between Pristina and Belgrade must be initiated by Serbia.

“We consider the pension contributions realised on their part. For this, the Ministry of Labour and Social Management expects talks to begin in a given period of time for the return of pension payments from the state of Serbia”, Xhaferi says.

Otherwise, long ago, through a decision by the Strasbourg Court, the Government of Serbia, had drafted “the action plan for resolving the problem of pension pay on Kosovo territory”.

The Fund for Pension Security and Invaldor of the Republic of Serbia had issued a document through which Kosovo pensioners are announced for the possibility of their compensation and way of application.

Although thousands of pensioners had applied to this fund, most requests have returned or received negative answers.