An additional 100 euros of social assistance will be allocated to pensioners, private and public sector workers and students in April, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti told a press conference on Tuesday.

Kurti said the additional package would cost a total of about 100 million euros.

“For April, we will [also] double the value of social assistance for all families included in social assistance,” said Kurti.

Currently about 25,000 families are on social assistance in Kosovo.

In addition, 40,000 food packages will be distributed to families in need.

PM Kurti on the conference added that the government is soon to increase the minimum wage as well.

 On Wednesday the Government approved the Draft Law on the minimum wage, which according to Kurti will be 250 euros net and 264 euros bruto.

The minimum wage in Kosovo is 170 euros a month and has not changed since 2011.

The Minister of Finance, Hekuran Murati, told the press conference that this social assistance can be implemented immediately for pensioners and public sector workers. The government will open an application process for private sector workers and students.

Murati said the government was aware that for this social assistance package to be applicable, some legal changes need to take place to enable delivery of the additional support. These include an agreement with the World Bank for the extension of the social scheme anc amendments to the Law on Minimum Wage and the Law on Budget Review.

Murati said the government is helping workers, but employers have to help as well. “I call on all employers in the private sector to look at the possibility of increasing wages for their employees,” said Murati.