War categories also want pension increases

The Kosovo government early this week decided that with the 2019 budget, it will raise pensions for several categories. Basic pensions, contributing pensions and premature pensions of Trepca workers are the ones that have increased with the executive's recent decision. And in this increase, war categories were not included, where their representatives are asking the prime minister to have pension increases for them.

The total number of pensioners in Kosovo behaves around 170 thousand. Twenty-five thousand are retirement users of old age, and 45 thousand have been contributed.

Growing pensions were processed yesterday, 20% for basic, family, and labour disabilities, 20% for the early Trepca pension and 15% for contributing pensions. But pension increases are also seeking other benefits of social and pension schemes in Kosovo.

Gevdet Qariqi, chairman of the Council for the Protection of veterans' Rights, has been expressed disappointed by chief executive Ramush Haradinaj. The prime minister we as fighters didn't we at least deserve one euro pension hikes? We've trusted and hoped very much in you, but this time you've disappointed us,

Contacted by Kosova Prees, chairman of the Association of Witness Families, Xhavit Jashari has clarified that the categories taken from the war are separate categories and as such are not included in recent increases in basic and contributing pensions.

“We are not involved in the increase, we are a single category, but we expect from the Government of Kosovo. We have sent our requests to the country's prime minister, and we are waiting, hoping to receive positive answers”, Jashar said via phone.

While yesterday, Labour and Social Management Minister Skender Recica has declared that within budgetary opportunities it will continue with the increase of pensions for other benefits of social and pension schemes in Kosovo.

“Today we processed pensions for a 20% increase, for basic pension categories, family pension, disability labour pension and early Trepca pensions, as well as pensions with increased 15% contributions, including the month's reform payment. As minister of MPMS, I remain committed to continuing, within budgetary opportunities to continue with pension increases, as well as for other categories of social and pension scheme beneficiaries”, he wrote on Facebook.

Otherwise, in the law on this year's budget, categories derived from the KLA war are determined to subsidies and transfers. This point of the law says that subsidies and transfers costs will continue increasing performance during 2019.

The increase in spending for this category comes from funding for the Law on War Veterans, covering the cost of change in pension law, and increasing beneficiaries in other schemes. The category of expenditures ésubventions and transfers during 2019 is expected to total 609m euros.

In terms of budgeted value for 2018, the planned expenditures for this category are expected to be higher by 15.9%, while in the years following 2020 and 2021 we do not expect a significant increase but only adjustments within this category. We remember that the budget for 2019 was approved in the amount of over 2.3 billion euros.