Firefighters Union warns protests

The reason for the public letter, according to unionists, is not to accept a meeting from government officials to understand closely the problems that firefighters are facing.

For years we've been leading you and asking you to fix the unselected case of firefighters, but neglected and silenced it inexcusably for years, each Government”, said in the public letter.

Among other things, it says that firefighters have been expressing their demands on institutions for 10 years, but so far their situation has only deteriorated.

If institutions fail to reflect positively, the Firefighters Union has warned protests. 

These are the 5 requests of the Kosovo Fireship Union that were forwarded in public letter to the country's institutions:

1) For the cofficient to be leveled at 6th level

2) Level of risk with Kosovo Police

3) Begin compensation for night shifts, holidays, overtime, state and religious holidays

4) Provide equipment items that are lacking, equipment and personal equipment,

5) Compensation of medical costs for workplace injuries

Full letter:

Honored representatives of state institutions;

Facing a very serious situation in terms of, organization, funding and management of the fire and rescue services in the countries and in unable to communicate in any other form, because you were unable to accept us at the meeting and why your relative would understand the situation created in fire service and at the same time make efforts for this situation to be overcome, so we have decided to send you one more time a public letter to express our frustrations and concerns about the unwillingness of the decision institutions to improve this situation and ensure normal conditions for work.

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 have identified the problems and violations that came to this category of employees and we have directed you to solve problems and cut off violations and discrimination, to ensure conditions for work, to maintain the health of firefighters, but never gave you priority and importance to the service, this time we have directed you that you urgently, in order not to remain silent, but to raise your voices and to be in support of the Fire Service, to keep your rights up for years, to interrupt, to deregulations, to deregulation, to deregulation, and to ask for all of your obligations, and to carry out your own institutional obligations and concerns.

So we ask tomorrow that, in budget review, all government institutions, the central level, relevant ministries, MPs/and to make their remarks about voting and commit to protecting the interests of the fire service, and to consider opportunities to secure budgetary means and enable us to create normal conditions and to fulfil the obligations you have to Kosovo Fire-fires, engage that the service be functional and be willing to carry out the mission dignifiedly.

We are conveying the situation around budgetary mirrors and reviews, and nowhere is it seen that the government of Kosovo will commit itself to carrying out its obligations and to commit that the firefighters are treated as they deserve.

Yesterday on the budget and transfer commission has not been supported by MP Mefail Bajcinnovci, a member of the Commission for Security in the Assembly, for minimum requirements, tools for compensation for night shifts, state holidays and overtime, guaranteed by the laws in power, rights requirements that firefighters failed to achieve since the war, and for surprise no other parliamentary group supported and did not vote directly affect the violations and discrimination that were made to firefighters for years.

All institutions are informed of the fire problems, that firefighters are without institutional attention, and this neglect has irritated and revolted has caused a lot of frustration and firefighters are unable to afford it without borders, that we are able to save lives and risk our lives, but we are not willing that because of neglect and the accountability of the institutions we are at risk, firefighters have no minimum conditions for work, so act as it has not been done, it is the last moment to reflect positively.

Fire and rescue service deserves another treatment, 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 of Pays and Status is settled, and of competencies and budgets in accordance with demands we've presented to all governments without exception, since 2010 that no step 10 years before only worsening the situation and empty promises.

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 other forms, don't force us.

To protest, it's not the Fire Department on the streets, it's the citizen service.

If the government does not provide any means for it, you will also bear the consequences.

The law enforcement officers will protest, firemen have lost patience.

Kosovo Fire Union Chairman

Muharrem Beka

No. Contacter, 044-849-217

Date 23.07.2020