The chairman of the Association of Pensioners, Nijazi Gashi, has resigned, as a sign of dissatisfaction with the government's disregard for demands. In a meeting with retirees organized by IKD, he said that the 20 percent increase in pensions is insufficient
The pensioners' representatives were not satisfied with the 20 percent increase in pensions, which the Government made this month.
In a meeting with pensioners, organized on Friday by the Kosovo Institute for Justice, concern was expressed that the monthly income received by citizens over 65 years old is insufficient.
As a sign of dissatisfaction with the disregard of the requests, the chairman of the Association of Pensioners, Nijazi Gashi, announced his resignation at this meeting.
"We made requests that we calculated the cost of living, and based on it we calculated how much the pensions should be. We have sent them and they have not responded. They have not increased pensions... I am surprised by the ignorance of our rulers. As of today, I am not the head of the organizations, I am resigning", said Gashi.
Even the executive director of IKD, Ehat Miftaraj, said that the current government for four years has not paid due attention to pensioners.
"Unfortunately, in four years, we have not seen that importance has been paid to pensioners. This 20 percent, not that it is not in line with inflation, but it is also not in line with the cost of living in which we are living. The government has not paid any attention to the social dialogue", Miftaraj said.
The senior researcher of IKD, Naim Jakaj, who published the findings of the report "The State neglects the harmonization of pensions with the cost of living", said that the raising of pensions by the Government is an electoral political movement.
"The rise came after a long period where pensioners during the last three years experienced a decrease in purchasing power, and it can be said that now this decision is more of an electoral political movement, which does not reflect a stable and fair social policy for this category", said Jakaj.
Pensioners have requested that the increase in monthly income be done every year, as required by law, and that it reflect the rate of inflation.