Prishtina, 3 September 2022
Dear citizens of the Republic of Kosovo,
Dear journalists,
As the Government of the Republic, since the beginning of the mandate and continuously, we have supported the citizens through various measures of the Economic Recovery Package.
We ended the year 2021 with the distribution of over 300 million euros, while we started the year 2022 with a series of support measures worth 200 million euros. All this to support the neediest families, public and private sector workers, pensioners, businesses and households.
At the last meeting of the Government, we allocated 40 million euros, out of 100 million committed, to subsidize the electricity bills for citizens, so that the price of electricity for them is affordable.
We constantly supported employment without distinction. We started the implementation of the “Government for Families” scheme, for the employment of those who do not have any employed family members. We also launched the measure for learning skills and sustainable employment of people with disabilities.
We supported about 250,000 workers in the private sector with an additional amount of 100 euros, and for 100,000 of them we submitted to the Assembly of the Republic the draft law that enables the increase of the minimum wage, for over 50%, respectively for over 100% for those under 35 years of age. In April, we distributed the one-time sum of 100 euros to 75,000 public sector officials.
We supported businesses not only through the labour force, but also through subsidizing loans for the expansion of their production and processing capacities, where through Measure 2.1, we enabled investments worth 100 million euros.
In line with our government program, we are distributing maternity allowances and child allowances to about 20,000 pregnant women and about 170,000 children every month.
We increased social assistance by 30% and doubled it for 3 months, for November, December and April. We also enabled the distribution of about 40,000 food packages to the neediest families.
We made the pension increase permanent by 11% for some categories, and by 33% for some other schemes, and we strengthened the support with an additional 100 euros in the months of November and April.
As the Government, we remain committed to supporting the citizens, whenever this is necessary, as well as to take additional actions to increase their well-being. Therefore, in line with this goal of ours, today we are presenting a new package, which aims to support citizens in coping with the inflationary crisis.
Given the dire situation with energy, today more than ever, it is imperative to save energy. Therefore, we will subsidize all those who save electricity. The more the energy is saved compared to the same month of the previous year, we will double subsidize the bill.
We will proceed to the Government, and then to the Assembly of the Republic for approval, the Draft Law on Public Works, which provides compensation for inflation for construction materials and follow-up works for existing works contracts. This is in order to accelerate the dynamics of the implementation of capital projects.
We will allocate a one-time sum of 100 euros for pensioners, while we will support families on social assistance by doubling the amount of assistance for one month.
Employment and workers are our priority, we have supported them and we will continue to do so. For public officials, we will allocate the additional amount of 50 euros starting from September, while for the workers in public enterprises we will allocate the one-time amount of 100 euros.
We are aware that inflation has made life difficult for everyone, without distinction, but this situation is even worse in the private sector. You all know very well that of all employed people in Kosovo, 80% are employed in the private sector, while approximately 1/5 are employed in the public sector. Therefore, we will support every business that increases the wages of workers, subsidizing 50% of the wage increase per worker, maximum 100 euros, for the first 3 months.
We will also extend our support to the students of the Republic, for whom we will allocate a one-time sum of 100 euros in the month of November, when the new academic year is underway.
So, dear citizens, dear journalists, in the coming months we will allocate about 150 million euros for the Package for Coping with Inflation, where through the measure for subsidizing those who save energy, all families, about 300 thousand of them, will benefit, whereas about 600 thousand citizens will benefit from direct payments.
In spring we had the Economic Recovery Package, now in autumn we have the Package for Coping with Inflation.
Now, regarding the criteria of these measures and the way to benefit from them, I pass the floor to our Minister of Finance, Labor and Transfers, Mr. Hekuran Murat.
Last modified: September 5, 2022