Naile Baliu – Neziri, from working in court, to committing to the dignity of pensioners

He has been retired for over 4 years.

From a major commitment as a legal officer at the Basic Court in Gjilan, the transition to retirement was not easy for Naile Baliu Neziri. Since she felt strong and could still contribute to society, she immediately got involved in another commitment, working for the welfare of Kosovo's pensioners.

She is now a member of the Kosovo Pensioners' League and represents pensioners in the Gjilan/Gnjilane region.

"I used to work at the Basic Court in Gjilan as a legal officer. When I retired, I immediately wanted to do something for the pensioners and I hope I can achieve it. The association, both then and now, continues to be in a bad state. Our mothers did not work before, and we did, so it was difficult when we retired to stay at home. But with other pensioners we come here and spend time, I have it as a second job. Even though I retired at the age of 65, I felt good and that I could continue to contribute, so I wanted to come here and help this category that has been neglected for years," said Baliu Neziri. 

The pensioner says that retirement these days is so degrading that she can never even think about buying a symbolic gift for her grandchildren.

"The day starts like this, I wake up, prepare breakfast, lunch, then come here to the Pensioners' Organization and spend the day with other pensioners. Staying alone at home is a big problem for those of us who have worked. Now we can't help our family at all, the pension is small, degrading, pensioners are being trampled. With this pension we can't even manage for ourselves, let alone help the members of the house. When my father retired, his pension was 70% of his salary and he managed to cover a lot. And we can't even give a gift to our niece or nephew for their birthday, because the pensions are extremely small," she said. 

He contributed to the Court for 45 years, and now retired, he says he feels bad when he is forced to ask his family for money.

"I feel violated by the state, but not by my family. I have no desire to ask for funds from my family, why do this when I have worked for 45 years. I want to have a dignified pension, to have a good life for myself. Pensioners are not victims, we want justice. We have the right to have a dignified pension. The government decides that the minimum wage should be 500 euros, and pensions should be the same. This issue must be regulated. I call on all leaders to regulate the Law on Pensions. As the minimum wage is, so should the basic pension be, while the contributory one should be higher", said Baliu Neziri. 

The economic situation of pensioners is not good. According to Mrs. Naile, there are pensioners who stay outside in the park all day and do not have the conditions to be served in the cafe.

"Even before receiving the pension, we make room for it. We need to set aside a portion for medicine, for clothing, because in old age you need to be well-groomed and dressed so that others don't treat you badly, old age is luck. Every day I come here and see pensioners who spend the whole day in the park without eating or drinking anything, because their pension is not enough, they don't have the conditions."

She mentions the basic requirements of pensioners so that they can spend this period with dignity, as they deserve.

"I call on the government to urgently form a pension fund, to implement health insurance, to recognize experience before and after the war, to inherit the pension if the partner has died and had a higher pension, then it should be passed on to the other partner. To regulate the Law on the basic pension scheme so that it is with the minimum wage, and contributors should receive the average salary of civil servants. We want these to be regulated, we do not want to be victimized. If these are regulated, we will no longer complain, because they go together with salary increases, pensions also increase", said Baliu Neziri. 

She says that she does not see the Government's latest decision as a campaign, but that's how it should be, because inflation is always increasing and Kosovars' incomes should be similar.

"We have repeatedly protested, we have gone to meetings several times, when the minister's assistant talked to us, but there has been no great interest. Now our secretary is Mazllum Baraliu, and it makes no sense for the government not to wait for us to listen to our complaints and requests. The government made it 50% possible for war veterans to work, and for us it can be regulated with an administrative order. I do not believe that increasing pensions is a campaign, because salaries should increase every year, so pensions also increase at the end of the year according to inflation."

Pensioner Naile Baliu Neziri is an example of an active woman who continues to contribute to her community even after retirement. She consistently says that pensioners do not seek mercy, but justice and good conditions for a peaceful life after decades of work.