The government vowed on Tuesday that for three years, it will pay a minimum wage to the oil workers of the Ballshi refinery.

The development was confirmed by finance minister Delina Ibrahimaj. She invited the oil workers to submit the necessary documentation near their office.

The finance minister added that the list will be reviewed in order to check who is employed, unemployed, or recently retired.

In regards to the spike in oil prices, Ibrahimaj asserted that the price will drop in the second half of the year.

“Nevertheless, I would like to point out that we operate in a free market economy so we can’t interfere with the price. However, we can compile other protective policies”, she explained.

In November 2020, the Albanian government said it would guarantee a one-year salary of €322 to the 870 oil workers that protested for several months and even went on a hunger strike over a dozen arrears.

Oil workers who worked in the Ballsh refinery decided to enter a hunger strike after their continuous protests over unpaid salaries fell into deaf ears.

For many years, Ballsh’s oil refinery has been crammed by bad management causing severe economic and social problems for its workers.