With six votes in favor, none against, and one abstention, the Committee on Budget, Labor, and Transfers approved the Draft Law on Budget Allocation for 2026.
Before the deputies, the Minister of Finance, Hekuran Murati, during the presentation of the draft budget for 2026 and international agreements, requested from the members of the committee that the processing of the draft law be done as soon as possible, while respecting the right of the deputies to review.
Murati said that it is important that the new budget law enters into force by the end of the month, due to exceeding the 1/12 limit of monthly expenses and changes in salaries.
"My request would be that this procedure be carried out as quickly as possible, so always respecting the need of the deputies to have a review, but that this should not be done as if in a regular situation and there is time, because we are not under time pressure. If the deadline for the budget to enter into force were in October or in two months, it would be fine, but in this case, as I said, we as a government, as soon as we took office from the Assembly, have not proceeded and have not made any changes at all except for the textual part regarding the budget for municipalities. So we have foreseen the moment when they propose to become part of the budget tables, as well as this part of the division of departments. What is important for us is that by the end of the month we have the new budget law in force. Because, despite the extension of the month of March, for which I thank you for the approval in last night's session, some of the expenses, as I emphasized, have exceeded 1/12 of the division. So the January payments were supposed to receive an early allocation from February. Now in February we will receive an advance allocation from March. So it is not that there are three months for this supplement, because there have been changes in salaries. In July there was an increase of 55 euros in the salary coefficient, which has not been reflected, so January 2026 is not equal to January 2025, it is 55 euros higher for each. Therefore, it is necessary to bring this balance as soon as possible and not necessarily three months of extension to other expenses, as was said. Therefore, it is very important for us that by the end of the month, because when we go back from the end of February, we know that there are some procedural deadlines there, "said Murati.
Meanwhile, Committee member Kujtim Gashi said that in principle they support the draft law due to the importance of the budget and the delays caused, but requested that the procedure be carried out in an orderly manner.
"In principle, we are in favor, because we know the importance of the budget and the delays that have been caused. The question I have for the minister is that we ask that the procedure be regular, that we have a discussion, that we have a debate, that we have the opportunity for the deputies to make amendments, that we do not have any rush. It would not make sense if the deputies did not have the opportunity, the space to analyze, discuss and give their remarks, but of course also to make the amendments... It should not be done within a day," said Gashi.
At this meeting, the Commission also approved several other items on the agenda, including:
Review of Draft Law No. 10/L-003 on the ratification of the Financing Agreement, for the first program for "financing development policies for fiscal effectiveness, competitiveness and green growth" between the Republic of Kosovo represented by the Ministry of Finance, Labor and Transfers and the International Development Association;
Review of Draft Law No. 10/L-005 on the ratification of the loan agreement between the Republic of Kosovo, represented by the Ministry of Finance, Labor and Transfers, and the International Development Association for the "COMPASS" project - Kosovo's comprehensive approach to strengthening the health system;
Review of Draft Law No. 10/L-006 on the ratification of the loan agreement between the Republic of Kosovo, represented by the Ministry of Finance, Labor and Transfers, and the International Development Association (IDA) for the project "Early Childhood Education and Care for Kosovo's Human Capital".
Review of the Draft Law No. 10/L-004 on the ratification of the loan agreement for the "Western Balkans Reform and Growth Instrument" between the European Union, represented by the European Commission as the lender, and Kosovo as the borrower and the Central Bank of Kosovo as the borrower's agent. /kp/
