Carrying banners reading “We are not asking for charity, we are asking for equality,” “Our dignity is not in retirement” and “613 veterans are not looking for culprits,” former professional soldiers gathered outside the government to protest differences in the compensation they receive after their employment ends.
Vidan Kiprijanovski, a member of the Coordinating Body of Retired Army Personnel, said the gap between the compensation payments is considerable. He cited the case of generals as an example, saying that before the legal changes they received compensation of 3 thousand euros, while today that amount has reached 25 thousand euros.
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Kiprijanovski presented three specific demands. The first concerns clearly defining the rights of all military personnel who retired during the relevant period and establishing fair compensation, with more equal and comparable conditions and in accordance with their legal rights.
The second demand is an institutional review through the creation of an inter-institutional working group involving representatives of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Finance and retired military personnel.
The chairman of the Independent Union of Professional Soldiers, Aleksandar Naskovski, called for all retired soldiers to receive equal treatment, regardless of whether they retired before or after February 14, 2024.
“We have submitted a law to Parliament to ensure that there will be no new hires for the next seven years, which would save 10 to 12 million euros in the budget of the Ministry of Defense, which would compensate former retired soldiers. In addition, current professional soldiers will also receive permanent contracts and the right to a pension,” Naskovski said.
A few days ago, the Defense Union announced that it did not support the protest, arguing that the issue had been resolved through legislation.
The former professional soldiers warned that if their demands are not addressed, the protests will escalate in several cities.
