13th Salaries to Be Created by High Prices

This, at least according to public sector employees' unions, which are the only beneficiaries of these salaries.

At a time when Kosovo's inflation has marked average growth of about 6 percent, and when fuel has finally been expensive and the possibility of rising electricity tariffs is warned, this additional fee risks spending quickly on daily needs.

According to workers' representatives, the 13th salary is a welcome aid, but it is not enough to cope with the economic crisis and continued price hikes.

They even say that a permanent wage increase would be a far more effective solution for citizens than a single payment during the year.

The chairman of the United Education, Science and Culture Union, Nundman Jasharaj, tells Kosovo that realising the 13th salary is a positive step, but its impact will be limited due to price hikes.

It's good it's done, finally. We have had the 13th Pague in our collective contract, and we feel good that after the years it's come true. However, at this time when we have constant price hikes, this will be a small contribution to price hikes and I consider that it would be better to raise wages, because they would be a permanent raise, and that's one, one help, one moment and it would go to my colleagues, from nests to college, but the whole public sector, will go to price hikes, agree, they'll deal with them more easily... It will lose its effect, that 13th salary has been facing all those price hikes and risings expected to take place. I mean, it's a help, but it's not very significant, because I'm going to lose my power in front of the prices they're constantly raising”, says Jasharaj.

Meanwhile, Fire Trade Union Chairman Muharrem Beka says this payment slightly alleviates the situation, but is not enough to meet monthly expenses.

The 13th package will be executed with this month's pay. There's one, coming in that slightly softens the situation, but I don't know how much fun it's going to be, because we're witnessing that we've got high inflation lately, we have price hikes. Then, finally, as is expected of other articles after the global crisis. For firefighters, it's an addition, but it's not enough and it's not satisfying, because firemen have such minimal wages, and it's hard to afford the basket or the cost of the month we all need”, says Beka.

Even the Union of Independent Trade Unions of Kosovo estimates additional payments are welcome, but does not solve the main problem.

BSPK Chairman At and Hykoli says the long-term solution would be to increase the value of the wage cofficiency so that employees can afford the rising cost of living.

This 13th salary is welcome because these prices, that is, are raised. However, our concern as BSPK is too great that we should sit down and discuss the value of the cofficiency, because the cofficiency is low. Maybe for these moments the 13th salary is welcome, but this has been discussed and should be put into the general collective agreement... We need to sit down and discuss the value of the cofficient. The value of the cofficient should be increased - to the extent that today, no matter where this goes, this inflation. So this is tremendous inflation, which is a problem for employees in Kosovo to close a month with their salaries, the 13th salary is like support. But we have to sit down and discuss the value of the cofficient... In a year's sense it's insufficient. In a month, it may soften. Like yes, temporary. But we're talking about what we're going to do, namely, the prices that we're going to do, while we're, so bad with the wages that employees in Kosovo get from”, Hykoli points out.

The overall harmonised consumer price index (IHÇK) in Kosovo has marked average 6.0 per cent growth in February 2026, compared to February 2025, while monthly inflation was 0.6 per cent compared to January 2026, Kosovas reported.

According to Kosovo's Statistics Agency, annual price hikes have been largely influenced by the costing of several goods and services, including services related to personal transport equipment (42.5%), flight tickets (39.0%), and water supply and other housing services (33,4%).

Also, when we are in price hikes, the Kosovar Power Supply Company KESCO has called for the Kosovo Energy Regulatory Office (ZRRE) price hike of up to 20 percent of the electricity tariffs for 2026, this requirement being called for increased operational costs and the need for sustainable power supply insurance.

However, Z THE RRE is expected to consider this request and will decide whether to accept it or not.

We remember that in May 2025 , ZERE had approved tariff increases of 16.1 percent compared to 2024. Meanwhile, as a consequence of the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran, fuel prices have been expensive for more than two weeks, as well as about 1.5 euros in oil, and 1.3 gasoline. /Kosovopress