Cops: More Low Than Us Raised Our Rewards

Kosovo police are not satisfied with the new salaries.

Even though the Kosovo government said that, through the new Law on Salaries in the public sector, it increased the salaries of police officials, by Kosovo police, they say, with the new law, some members even have to lay off pay cuts.

On February 1st, the executive announced that the value of the wage cofficiency would be 105 euros.

With the new Law on Salaries, the level of cofficiency is between 2 and 18. The president of the state has been appointed the highest cofficiency, under which it will have the largest salary.

About 83,000 public sector employees receive salaries from the state budget. With the new cofficients, the government has said it aims to create equality among public servants.

Kosovo police number an estimated 10,000 staff. The highest cofficient is the director - general (14.5), while the lowest (2) have police cadets. It is believed that the majority of members in the Kosovo Police have a high position as a police officer, whose cofficiency is 5.9, which translates into basic salary of 619 euros.

The head of the Kosovo Police Union, Imer Zeqiri, tells Radio Free Europe that with the new cofficients, the government has made minimum wage increases of between 20 and 60 euros, for several categories within the police. But, on the other hand, he says many salaries have been lowered.

The base panel of a top police officer who, for example, works at NJSI [The Special Intervention Unit] is 702 euros [392 basic salary, plus 310 euros additive]. Now, is it 702 or 619 euros? Why am I saying that? Six hundred and nineteen euros is based on the new coffient, the rest of it, on Kosovo Police, with the new salary Law reduced, if not completely removed, only 1 per cent of the [Kosovo Police] budget, which covers nothing, and that the policeman leaves without addition to the risk as well”, Zeqiri says.

He stresses that in certain categories of police officials, there is a reduction in wages.

In most categories, whether in investigations or in specialised entities or other categories, to a considerable number, there is a discount, there is no salary increase. In those with a rise, the largest rise could be up to 50-60 euros”, he says.

Base salaries up, but extensions drop

So far, basic salaries in most categories have been lower, compared to the ones the Government of Kosovo introduced to the new wage law.

However, police officials have received more wages, having had additional additions, such as job experience, risklessness, overtime work, and night shift work.

The new law, introduced by the government, increases the basic wage, but is expected to reduce the value of additions, as only 1 per cent of the Kosovo Police budget is said to be exploited.

Kosovo Police's annual budget for 2023 is over 115m euros, while 1 per cent of that budget is 1.1m euros.

This budget for addition, according to Zeqiri, is not enough for another month.

Kosovo police have not responded to Radio Europe's free request for statements concerning salary change.

By the time it is published, Kosovo Police have offered neither data on the number of officials affected by both the decline and the increase in salaries.

In spite of that, according to the Police Union, and according to former Kosovo Police Director Rashit Qalaj, who is now deputy of the opposition party, the Democratic Party of Kosovo, the largest number of police officials belong to the “high police officer” category, which consists of policemen who have had five and more years of experience in this institution.

Qalaj says about The REL is currently in confusion, and it is not known how to decide on the issue of police supplements.

Their removal or eventual landing, Qalaj considers it unacceptable.

Opposition party MP, the Democratic League of Kosovo, Hykmete Bajrami, during a plenary session, held on February 2nd, said the government proved insincere with police officials, as, according to her, they would be removed.

“Day, the wage cofficiency was set at 105 euros, and the Government came up with its statistics, as always, inconsistent. The government, yesterday, did not tell the high police that it is growing wages for 180 euros, but that with the February salary no longer gets paid 180 euros in addition”, she said.

In a response, following the publication of the new salary cofficients, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said this step, among other things, is solid support for police and other categories.

“Barazi and honesty for wages between categories, narrowing the gap between senior officials and others, as well as solid support for the four vital categories for the functioning of society, that of doctors, educators, policemen and military forces”, Kurti wrote on the social Facebook network.

At the Kosovo Police Union, they say the government has not given clear clarification to the issue of additions to the Kosovo Police.