Pristina, 5 February 2016
Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, met with representatives of the Union of Education, Science and Education headed by President Rrahman Jasharaj. In the meeting were present the First Deputy Prime Minister, also the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hashim Thaci, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Kujtim Shala, Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Arsim Bajrami, Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Arban Abrashi.
Prime Minister Mustafa, during the meeting, praised the cooperation and partnership between the Government and the Union to solve some of the requirements, needs and problems of employees, particularly of education and also other employees.
Prime Minister Mustafa thanked Unionists for permanent cooperation and partnership that have developed over the past year but also in the previous government, in solving common concerns.
“I consider that we have had a good cooperation, a good partnership, I believe that it has led us to that we managed to solve some of the requirements, needs and problems of employees, particularly of education but also other employees that you cover in certain areas during this period. Also, I believe that there is always needs, and requests due to the social situation of our citizens and employees, to improve the status of salaries but also general status of social employers of education, culture and science, “said Prime Minister.
Praising the understanding we had with USESC, Prime Minister Mustafa stressed that together was made all what was possible. “Together we are building this country, and we take the responsibility of building this country, because there is not a property right only government building, but of all subjects responsible. Together we are building a new democracy, a new economy, a new country but also a new trade union organization which responds to the current needs and requirements. Today, I wish to express to you the full commitment of the Government but also the relevant ministries to cooperate in solving relevant problems which you consider the current problems. I would also like to express our appreciation to you that it is necessary that the problems we have to solve in a dialogue, not on the street, no with tear gas, not with molotov, not with vandalism behaviour and destroying properties of citizens and public property, because it is not in the interest of this country, not in the interest of our European integration, it is not in the interests of Euro-Atlantic integration and regional cooperation, peace and stability. But we should sit in the table and solve our common problems. We did not have any objection regarding how you have addressed the requirements, but we want to once again invite you to work together, to jointly resolve all issues that can be resolved. I cannot promise what cannot be done because you the employers of education and that you all know how much is the budget capacity, our financial opportunities how much can we afford. I assure you that within the agreements that we have had with the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the instruments that we have to apply, to fulfill our obligations to these agreements we will sit together and we will see then what are our additional options to improve the social and economic situation of the employees for whom you are responsible and accountable. We are working on economic development projects, we are trying, through development to generate more stable budget, more stable revenues, we must have large investment in order to have more employment and of course this creates a situation that we can solve issues successfully, issues that you are concerned of. I just would like to inform you that the situation which has been created in the country by blocking the institutions, especially the Parliament of Kosovo and violent protests in the streets relating with two issues the Demarcation and Association, are issues that have it own resolution, which do not deserve this place look like in international arena what is seems, because even those who have fought for the freedom of this country, neither you that you are building this country do not deserve such a view. Demarcation is a solvable issue because no one could get an inch of land to Kosovo, none can give it for free to Montenegro, and that is not done. The land is ours, it belongs to us, if there was an error, the error is corrected, but all the data shows that the border line is the same as it was before 90’s, and according to Ahtisaari package, se to be 31 December 1988. We will have an international committee that will sit and will once again see the all documents one by one, will confirm everything that has been done and we have the readiness of Montenegro to accept any remarks and any change that fits the situation on the ground. We have the decision of the Constitutional Court regarding the Association of Serb-majority municipalities. Court says it must be established but it should be established under the Constitution, would not be the third power, neither a body with executive powers, does not touch and does not violate the sovereignty of the Republic of Kosovo.
It is about what we and with the Ahtisaari Package and the Constitution have provided a positive discrimination of minorities and we have given a lot to gain independence and to build a democratic state. And we cannot integrate into the European Union by expressing nationalist hatred and violence against non-majority population in Kosovo. Nobody rejects this, at least when we do not risk anything. Nor can give arguments to the public if we do not speak Albanian but we speak Serbian. I am very confident that we have passed the time when was said “he spoke in Serbian because he knows better”, because it is the way of behaviour anymore. The Association should be spelled “Bashkësi” in Albanian language we do not need to say so in Serbian and to provoke nationalism. We must solve our problems speaking Albanian together, while problems with other we should solve peacefully, with understanding language, the language of cooperation and especially in this stage when we need more international support, support of the United States, the European Union, especially Germany within the European Union, to create a situation to put in question the independence, building the state, are they ready to do that, because it is unacceptable to destroy the state that we are building. What is won, is won with the votes of citizens, civic gained legitimacy, under regular, while violent with violent protests cannot be solved none of the issues that we have before us. I also wanted to take this opportunity today all remarks, suggestions that you have to do with us through dialogue and in partnership with the Government. I assure you that we will be very careful to listen to everything and try to find a solution for everything, and not to accept violence and the violent protests as a political tool of solving our problems.
Rrahman Jasharaj, Chairperson of USESC, was honoured and grateful for this meeting of the Government with the chairmanship of USESC, heads of municipal levels of primary and secondary education, and university level.
“Thank you for taking the time to hear our voice. With pleasure we accepted the idea to be here with you today Basque and from the beginning I would like to express the general opinion of teachers in Kosovo, that from 2007 onwards, regardless of the subjects that have led they managed to achieve a good salaries in Kosovo. Then, in the University there is a significant increase of salaries in comparison to the region, but also in pre-university education is not bad, as compared with some countries we have a better situation in terms of salaries. USESC has proved and will prove in the future that is for the dialogue. USESC respect institutions that stand by the vote of our people and is keen to solve issues through dialogue, “said Jashari, adding that USESC is always pro dialogue and not through other forms. Jasharaj, also, has welcomed the decision of the Government to increase pensions and other positive steps.
