Jedal Svechla: Police officers protesting this year received from 2,200 euros per month

MPB leader Xhelal Svecla has reacted to today's protest of members of the Kosovo Police elite units, who are dissatisfied with the Kosovo Government's proposal for additional risk.

Svecla has said the government has been aiming at improving working conditions and providing equipment that protect the police official's life and have made efforts for dignified and fair treatment, claiming that compensation for additional commitments has been implemented at all in the past.

He has said that the additional commitment has now been compensated without delay, until he points out that the average monthly income this year of police officers protesting before the government today is over 2,000 and 200 euros.

The “for us has always been aimed at improving working conditions, providing equipment that protects the police official's life, as well as their dignified and fair treatment, as opposed to earlier times, when compensation for additional commitments has not been implemented at all, we have compensated for them without delay. The average monthly income this year of officials protesting today is over 2,200 euros”, Svechla wrote.

Full response:

The Republic of Kosovo is a poor country with the smallest budget in Europe. But, the Republic of Kosovo is founded on the sacrifice of war for freedom, with heroic acts and human losses. Representatives of the Republic today are the people most valued by the people of Kosovo.

The demands are numerous, and there are social categories that have many difficulties along their lives.

As Minister of Internal Affairs, out of nine executive agencies, Kosovo Police have had special support and focus aimed at mobilizing in fighting crime, smuggling, protecting territorial integrity and sovereignty. By the Kosovo Police themselves, Special Units have had and continue to have greater support both in financial terms and with the establishment in the facility.

With the mandate received, members of the Kosovo Special Police Units have found them without uniforms, without protective equipment for their lives, without conditions of labour and inadequate and non-quality food.

From receiving the mandate, until the 2024 budget vote, we have an increase of over 30% in the total police budget, while in capital investments we have an increase of 300%. By 2021, the budget for operational equipment is 21-fold. In 2021, the budget has been less than half a million for operational equipment, while this year is over 9m euros.

For us, it has always been aimed at improving working conditions, providing equipment that protects the police official's life and their dignified and fair treatment, as opposed to previous times, when compensation for additional commitments has not been implemented at all, we have compensated for them without delay. The average monthly income this year of officials protesting today stands at over 2,200 euros.

Our commitment to the state and strengthening it will be unencumbered and unstoppable with all those who, despite challenges, have the will.

I thank once again all interior affairs ministry officials, especially the Kosovo Police, for commitment and sacrifice towards a just and prosperous state