Institutions are required to protect firemen's interests by 2021 budget

So we ask that today, at the budget approval hearing, all government institutions, the central level, the relevant ministries, the MPs/or they make their remarks about voting and engage to protect the interests of fire service, and to consider opportunities to provide budgetary tools and enable us to create normal conditions and fulfill the obligations you have to Kosovo Firefighters, engage in the service to be functional, and be willing to carry out the mission in a dignified manner”, it is said in a letter to hosting the country's firefighters sent to institutions.

Among other things, the union has underlined that their frustrations are being expressed on paper since representatives of institutions, according to them, have not accepted them at the meeting.

The Kosovo Firefighters Union has also stressed that for years they have addressed their demands but that they were always neglected.

The following is the complete letter:

To: Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo in office, Mr. Avdullah Hoti
Minister of Internal Affairs in charge, Mr. Agim Veliu
Minister of Finance in charge, ma'am. Hykmete Bajrami

Assembly Speaker Vjosa Osmani

Parliamentary Group Speakers in the Assembly

Kosovo Assembly MPs
Commission for Budget and Transfer, Mr. Iron Murati

From: the Kosovo Fireship Union.

Subject: Public Open Letter for Institutions

Honored representatives of state institutions;

Honored representatives of state institutions;

Facing a very serious situation in terms of, organization, financing and management of the country's fire and rescue service and the inability to communicate in a different form, because you were not able to accept us at the meeting so that your relatives can understand the situation created in fire service and at the same time make efforts for this situation to be overcome, so we have decided that once again we will send you a public letter to express our frustrations and concerns about the unwillingness of the decision-making institutions to improve this situation and ensure normal conditions.

Honored representatives of institutions, for years we've led you and asked you to fix the unelected issue of the Fire Department, but you neglected and kept silent in an unwarranted manner for years.

In the fire union for years we've identified the problems and violations that came to this category of employees and we've led you to solve problems and cut off violations and discrimination, to ensure conditions for work, to maintain the health of firefighters, but never gave them priority and importance of service, this time we have directed you to one more time that we urgently and ask you not to shut down, but to raise your voices and be in support of the Fire Service, their rights bound for years, between their violations, discrimination, deregulation, and aversion, and so what we ask you to do, and what you're willing to do, and what you're willing to carry out on and what you're willing to do, and what you're willing to do.

Therefore, we ask that at today's debate session on budget approval, all government institutions, central level, relevant ministries, MPs/and officials make their remarks about voting and commit to protecting the interests of fire service, and to consider opportunities to secure budgetary means and enable us to create normal conditions and fulfill the obligations you have to Kosovo Firefighters, engage in the operational service and be willing to carry out the mission dignifiedly.

We are conveying the situation around budgetary mirrors and budgetary divisions, and nowhere is it seen that the government of Kosovo wants to commit itself to commitment and commit that Firefighters are treated as they deserve.

Years in a row, we've led you to minimum demand, tools for compensating night shifts, state holidays and overtime, guaranteed by laws in power, fair demands that firemen didn't accomplish since the war, and amazingly nobody cared for firefighters to create conditions for work and legitimate rights that you are entitled to. All institutions are reportedly in the fire problems, that firefighters are without institutional attention and this neglect has irritated and revolted has caused numerous discontent and firefighters, firefighters are unable to afford it without borders, we are able to save lives and risk our lives, but we are not willing that because of the neglect and irresponsibilities of the institutions we are at risk, firefighters have no minimum conditions for work, so act as it has not been done late, it is the last moment to reflect positively.

The fire and rescue service deserves another treatment, the fire mission is the salvation of human life and material goods and thus does not justify the purpose of the establishment.

So until the question of the law on wages and the status of firemen is settled by the government, we ask that the budget be divided according to the demands we've presented to all governments without exception, since 2010, that no step 10 years before just worsening the situation and empty promises.

Firefighters have been without budgetary lines since 2102, firefighters are without institutional attention, neither with the Minister, nor with the municipality, no one is interested in this service, and we've noticed it even in the pandemic situation, where we were the most overlooked service in the country.

Requests:

1 for the Cofficiency to level the country at 6

2- To level the risk with the Kosovo Police,

3- To begin compensation of night shifts, holidays, overtime, state and religious holidays

4- Making tools for the equipment that are in short supply, equipment and personal equipment,

5- Compensing out medical costs for injuries at the workplace

Don't force us to seek out our right demands in other forms, don't force us to protest, it's not the Fire Department on the streets, but in the service of citizens, so act, otherwise the consequences will be on you, if the Government doesn't provide the means to carry out legal obligations, the firefighters will protest, the firefighters have lost patience.

Kosovo Fire Union Chairman

Muharrem Beka

28,12.2020