Private sector unions say minimum wage must be over 400 euros

The decision to raise the minimum wage in Kosovo is not being welcomed even by Kosovo's private sector. Private Sector Workers Union Chairman Yusuf Azemi tells Radio Kosovo that workers expect higher minimum wage increases, while saying the government with these policies is losing the workforce.

All of those workers who will be paid at this minimum wage are these workers who perform services for state institutions such as private companies have received tenders for performing services at state institutions, such as cleaning government facilities, maintaining hospitals and other facilities, this will be negative. We think this should definitely be 450 euros for this year and 500 next year. For a very short time, the biggest loser will be the government, because with these policies it is fading and losing its workforce”, Azemi said.

While, Kosovo Alliance of Business Chairman Agim Sahini, in a proposal for Radio Kosovo, says this is a delayed increase. According to him, over 600,000 salaries are in evidence, which receive 170 euros' salary.

“Private sector, about 74 private sectors have claimed that there is no negative wage growth effect, some 23 percent have claimed to have any positive or negative effect, and this indicates that most businesses have welcomed this decision, thus showing that most of them have increased their salaries”, Sahin said.

Union officials stress that the government has the potential to make the minimum wage high, but, they say, political readiness is lacking. With the Law on Salaries, the minimum wage is expected to be worth 264 euros gross for all employed in the public and private sector. The minimum wage in Kosovo is currently 130 euros for workers under 35 and 170 euros for workers up to 65 years.