Kosovo's caretaker government today approved a record 2026 draft budget of 4 billion euros, local media reported, quoted by Radio Free Europe, although it remains unclear whether parliament will consider and vote on the document, BTA reports.
Caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti said the budget includes about 1 billion euros for capital investments. “This budget will introduce a 13th salary for all public sector employees and provide a 0.5% increase in the basic salary for each year of service,“ he added.
Finance Minister Hekuran Murati indicated that the budget is 10% larger than the previous one. During the meeting, the caretaker government increased the minimum pension from 120 to 150 euros, as well as allowances for all children aged 0 to 16 by 50%.
Around 200,000 pensioners and over 400,000 children will benefit from these increases, starting from November 1, Kurti said.
It is not yet clear whether the draft budget will be considered and voted on by Kosovo's newly formed parliament. The adoption of the document comes days before President Vjosa Osmani meets with the leaders of parliamentary parties, where he is expected to call for compromise and a way out of the political impasse.
Kosovo's legislature was only constituted in September, almost nine months after the elections, but the country has still not managed to form a new government. The parties have so far shown no willingness to govern together, which increases the likelihood of early elections as early as December, RFE/RL notes.