RTK employees protest – political crisis left them without July salaries

The consequences of the institutional crisis are being felt by RTK employees. They have been left without salaries, since in the absence of the constitution of the Assembly, the budget for the second half of the year has not been reallocated. The workers protested and threatened to strike and not report on events if action is not taken quickly.

Employees of Radio Television of Kosovo protested on Wednesday in front of the Parliament and Government building, in a sign of dissatisfaction over the non-execution of July salaries.

During the protest, they also expressed their concerns through banners with messages such as "Journalist without salary - democracy without voice."

The President of the RTK Workers' Union, Gëzim Bimbashi, has emphasized that the lack of salaries has put over 700 employees of the public broadcaster in serious economic difficulties.

"Today, over 700 families have been left without salaries and in difficult economic conditions under the burden of loans and high living costs. This protest is only for the protection of RTK as a public medium, for the rights of workers and without any political overtones," said Bimbashi.

Bimbashi has also listed requests addressed to institutions.

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"We demand the immediate allocation of the budget, the completion of the RTK Board by the new Assembly, as well as the announcement of the vacancy for the general director, with full respect for legal procedures," he said.

Based on the law, the budget for the public broadcaster is reallocated after the 6th month of the year. This is done at the request of the Parliamentary Budget Committee, but it is dysfunctional, since the new composition of the Assembly has not been constituted.

The president of the Kosovo Journalists Association, Xhemajl Rexha, has also come out in support of RTK employees.

He said that this crisis was avoidable and warned of the danger that RTK's malfunctioning represents for media freedom.

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"The call of the AGK is clear and is addressed to the executive: to allocate the budget for the second half of the year, so that RTK employees can carry out their work without obstacles, without financial and political pressure," said Rexha.

RTK workers' union members have said that if measures are not taken by the Government, they do not rule out the possibility of a strike and boycott of events.