The Organization of Kosovo Liberation Army War Veterans held a protest in Pristina on Saturday against the Law on the minimum wage, which does not include this category.
The veterans’ pension is equal to the minimum wage in the country, but the law that was approved on Thursday evening did not include the increase in veterans’ pensions.
“Who would have thought that today, almost 25 years after the war, we would come out here to demand our freedom and rights once again. Today they are not being denied by a terrible regime of Slobodan Milosevic, but by the government of the state for which we gave everything”, said Avni Ajeti from this organization, calling on the president of the country, Vjosa Osmani, not to sign the law. Veterans warned of new protests if the law goes into effect.
The law on the minimum wage foresees its increase to 264 euros, from 130 to 170 as it is currently. If this law enters into force, for which the signature of the country’s president is required, veterans will continue to receive 170 euros, which is their current pension.
The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, said on Saturday that the treatment of war veterans of the former Kosovo Liberation Army should be resolved with a new law and supports the provision of as many benefits as possible for this category, but those benefits are not wages.
“We are for the highest possible benefits for the veterans of the liberation war, but these benefits are not salaries because the salary is for work, while the benefits are the gratitude of society which is given to the war veterans for the liberation war which is the source of citizenship, independence and our freedom”, said Prime Minister Kurti.
The new law on the minimum wage envisages the amendment of the Law on veterans, so that, as it is said, “until the final categorization of the list of veterans, the government of Kosovo decides on the amount of pensions determined by this law”.
“We are committed to having a new law, but for this we need to have the facts correct. I believe that more than 60 thousand participants took part in the liberation war, but there is a kind of tripling of the number of veterans. Therefore, it is necessary to call things by their proper names”, said Prime Minister Kurti.
The protesters criticized, as they said, the “scandalous actions of the government”, while also demanding the resignation of the head of the Vetëvendosje parliamentary group in power, Mimoza Kusari – Lila.
For several days in a row, the Nationale portal published several conversations between the head of the Vetëvendosje parliamentary group, Mimoza Kusari-Lila, with representatives of the Serbian List, including the vice-president of this party, Milan Radojčič, who is sanctioned by the United States for “involvement in organized crime and corruption”.
Clashes over the issue led to physical clashes in Kosovo’s parliament on Thursday, fueling concerns about deepening political divisions and polarizing society in Kosovo.
