“Double wages” for Kosovo Serbs cut

According to a new decision by the Finance Ministry, Serbs in Kosovo employed in public services will no longer be receiving double wages. These bonuses will be decreased from 100 to 50 percent of their wages. “Double wages” for Kosovo Serbs cut The Kosovo benefits were introduced in 2003 with a government decision, and since then all public employees in Kosovo have been getting their wages doubled. Public employees who live in Serbia but work in Kosovo received an additional 25 percent. According to the 2009 budget draft, these contributions will be decreased as part of the government's overall austerity measures introduced in the 2009 budget draft yet to be approved in parliament. Finance Minister Diana Dragutinovic said that they will not be cut off completely, however. “There will be a maximum addition of 50 percent. So wages will be 50 percent higher compared to average wages in the public sector. Everything will be decreased. There are contributions that depend on the living conditions, but they will be decreased as well,” Dragutinovic said. State Secretary with the Ministry for Kosovo Oliver Ivanovic commented by saying that the Finance Ministry's decision applied to other ministries as well, and called for the issue "not to be politicized", explaining that the state is in a situation where it "cannot meet every demand". In Kosovo itself, different voices were heard in reaction to the announcement. “A destabilization or personnel cleansing could certainly happens in Kosovo. It is well-known that other countries do the same for their compatriots living under such conditions, for example Israel, which sets aside wages up to several times higher than what is normally paid,” Deputy Director of the Kosovska Mitrovica Health Center Milan Ivanovic said. Radmila Trajkovic, who heads the Health Center in the enclave of Gracanica, said that such a decision can have an effect on whether Serbs will stay in Kosovo. “It can definitely, in some segment, affect the mood of the Serbian community and whether they will stay in this area. I do think, however, that we all must work together to get by in this hard time that has befallen Serbia as a result of some sort of a global recession,” she said. According to information published by the media, about 45,000 Serb employees in Kosovo receive RSD 26bn from the budget annually. The doubled wages mostly go to 5,600 education and 4,600 health workers. About 2,900 local administration workers also receive the same benefits.

“Double wages” for Kosovo Serbs cut

The Kosovo benefits were introduced in 2003 with a government decision, and since then all public employees in Kosovo have been getting their wages doubled.

Public employees who live in Serbia but work in Kosovo received an additional 25 percent.

According to the 2009 budget draft, these contributions will be decreased as part of the government's overall austerity measures introduced in the 2009 budget draft yet to be approved in parliament.

Finance Minister Diana Dragutinović said that they will not be cut off completely, however.

“There will be a maximum addition of 50 percent. So wages will be 50 percent higher compared to average wages in the public sector. Everything will be decreased. There are contributions that depend on the living conditions, but they will be decreased as well,” Dragutinović said.

State Secretary with the Ministry for Kosovo Oliver Ivanović commented by saying that the Finance Ministry's decision applied to other ministries as well, and called for the issue "not to be politicized", explaining that the state is in a situation where it "cannot meet every demand".

In Kosovo itself, different voices were heard in reaction to the announcement.

“A destabilization or personnel cleansing could certainly happens in Kosovo. It is well-known that other countries do the same for their compatriots living under such conditions, for example Israel, which sets aside wages up to several times higher than what is normally paid,” Deputy Director of the Kosovska Mitrovica Health Center Milan Ivanović said.

Radmila Trajković, who heads the Health Center in the enclave of Gračanica, said that such a decision can have an effect on whether Serbs will stay in Kosovo.

“It can definitely, in some segment, affect the mood of the Serbian community and whether they will stay in this area. I do think, however, that we all must work together to get by in this hard time that has befallen Serbia as a result of some sort of a global recession,” she said.

According to information published by the media, about 45,000 Serb employees in Kosovo receive RSD 26bn from the budget annually.

The doubled wages mostly go to 5,600 education and 4,600 health workers. About 2,900 local administration workers also receive the same benefits.