Last Kosovo in region for average wage

Kosovo is the last in the region in terms of average wage.

An average salary increase at the end of 2023 by 10,000 leks, Albania did not improve its position compared to the region. 75 thousand dollars, or in European currency, referred to the official course of the Bank of Albania, 723 euros, again listed Albania as the previous one.

 “Having also had a more aggressive policy than the Balkan countries that have made a systematic increase and have not expected a certain year for large growth, despite having behind Kosovo”, says Edward Gjokutaj, economic expert.

Serbia tops the average gross salary in the region at 1,112 euros, followed by Montenegro at 1,024 euros, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,023 euros, North Macedonia 975 euros and finally Kosovo at 521 euros.

The champion nation from which to receive and the model related to administration productivity is Serbia and Northern Macedonia, which compete with services despite not having the level of digitalisation of public services as Albania has”, Gjokutaj added.

If Albania is compared to the country's highest salary in the region, we are paid about 53% less.

But with the government's programme for average wage growth at 900 euros in the middle of 2024, we will be only 23% from the first country.

The “seems to me an approach based on a political decision rather than a decision coming from a better performance of administration”, he said.

Experts criticise wage growth without a set programme over the years.

While a shift to 900 euros is seen as a political tool before the 2025 elections.

The “is part of the SP's political programme and will naturally be declared as a fulfilled promise must be insisted on how much it has to do with warding, productivity and how much it is worth to citizen services”, the expert followed.

For wage increases at 900 euros, the government is expected to spend from the state budget of 2024 about 40 billion dollars. /A2 CNN