The cost of living in Montenegro continues to rise, with many citizens experiencing hardship.
EU lawmaker Boris Mogosha said that daily expenses in Montenegro are constantly increasing and a large part of the population is facing financial difficulties. He called on the government to agree with the employers and trade unions on a salary increase schedule for the next two years - annually or every six months.
According to the parliament, the income is not enough to cover even minimal needs: two average salaries, not to mention the minimum, are not enough to purchase goods and services included in the consumer basket of the trade unions.
Mogosha stressed that the salary increase should not be accompanied by a complete cancellation of pension contributions. Such a step, in his opinion, could have serious long-term consequences for the pension system. He recalled that state pension systems based on insurance contributions operate in 99% of the countries in the world and are an important part of modern society.
The wage increase must be determined in the general collective agreement (GCA), which should determine new work complexity coefficients and the cost of the calculation coefficient. This will ensure that different types of work are valued fairly. Mogosha pointed out that the OCD has not existed for six months, which is why the labor rights of a significant number of workers remain insufficiently protected.
Separate systemic measures, according to him, are necessary for pensioners and recipients of social assistance. The deputy considers it unacceptable that the average allowance is only 60% of the minimum wage for employees with primary education, 50% for those with secondary education and 45% for those with higher education. He also drew attention to the fact that the most vulnerable recipients of social assistance receive only 100 euros per month.
Mogosha called price stabilization another priority.