Social Security Fund: promise to support workers after losing their jobs

Workers who lose their jobs are expected to receive financial support through the Social Security Fund.

The creation of this fund was promised by Prime Minister Albin Kurti during the presentation of the government plan.

According to Kurti, the fund will help the unemployed, as well as cover maternity and parental leave.

“The Social Security Fund, to support workers after they lose their jobs, as well as to cover maternity and parental leave,” Kurti said.

The demand to establish such a fund has been raised for years by the Private Sector Union.

Jusuf Azemi, a representative of the union, said that a social insurance fund had been requested for decades, particularly to support workers who lose their lives in the workplace.

“For decades, we have been asking for a social insurance fund in Kosovo. First and foremost, such a fund would have resources for workers who lose their lives in their workplaces, and that is not a small number. In reality, this fund is very necessary; at every protest and strike we have held, we have demanded it,” Azemi said.

However, the Private Sector Union has expressed doubts that this promise will be implemented.

Azemi said that the union had submitted several formally registered requests for the creation of the fund, but that it had not been established so far.

“I do not believe at all that he will do this; it is just something to include in a government program, because we have repeatedly submitted formally registered requests for this fund to be created, and it has not happened,” Azemi stressed.

Economics professor Fidan Qerimi is also skeptical about the implementation of this initiative.

Qerimi recalled that Kosovo has a fund established for health insurance which, he said, has not been implemented for nearly a decade.

“I hope this fund is established. We have a fund created for health insurance that has not been implemented for nearly a decade. I hope this fund is established and helps people who become unemployed. More importantly, as an economy we should focus on development and our economic potential, and identify an economic model through which we could develop the country,” Qerimi said.

During the presentation of the plan, Kurti also promised a 14th salary for public-sector workers and a 13th salary for private-sector workers.