According to leaked letters, the General Directorate of Police and the Head of the State Supreme Audit will withhold sums from staff salaries that will be deposited into the government account designated for earthquake relief donations.
Opposition party LSI Secretary General Petrit Vasili stated that the General Directorate of Police ordered the director, deputy directors, and chiefs of police stations contributed 5000 lek [USD 50], department heads 4000 lek, specialists and ordinary employees 3000 lek and civilians 2000 lek.
The average salary in Albania is around 40, 400 lek and such contributions represent a significant amount of employees’ wages.
Another letter, published on social media by lawyer Dorian Matlija shows that the Head of the State Supreme Audit has decided that it will contribute 100,000 lek, the secretary 20,000 lek, the Directors of departments 15,000 lek, and senior and ordinary employees between 10,000 lek and 7,500 lek.
The letter states that contributions will be “withheld from December 3 salaries and will be deposited into the government bank account.”
Sources told Exit News that the Tirana Municipality employees were also informed that they will not receive their annual bonuses that range between 10,000 and 17,000 lek. The Municipality is yet to confirm this.
These contributions to the government earthquake fund is not voluntary and state employees have no choice whether to donate or not as it will be removed automatically from their pay packets. This move has been widely criticised as such moves should be decided by the citizens, based on their circumstances and available funds.
By doing this, the Albanian government are taking the responsibility of funding recovery off them and placing it on state employees.
