The Musine Kokalari Institute for Social Policy calls on the Government and Members of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo to include European Union directives in any initiative regarding the Labor Law. These directives are essential as they align the law with the legislation and standards of the EU, which Kosovo aspires to integrate with. The exclusion of these directives from the law harms workers’ rights and their workplace safety.
According to the legislative program of the Government of Kosovo for this year, the government was supposed to approve the initiative for the amendment of the Labor Law on June 30th last week and submit it for further consideration in the Assembly of Kosovo. Delays in legislative initiatives harm workers, and therefore institutions must address this matter with urgency.
Musine Kokalari Institute for Social Policy assesses that Kosovo needs a new Labor Law, as has been frequently suggested by other civil society organizations in Kosovo working in this area. The initiative to amend the existing law leaves many gaps and does not address many of the problems workers face today in Kosovo.
We encourage the Government of Kosovo to adopt a more progressive approach in decisions related to labor rights, placing workers and their rights at the center of decisions concerning the Labor Law and other aspects of policymaking that affect workers’ rights.
July 4, 2023