The decision of the municipality of Durres, approved by the Municipal Council, a week ago, to increase the salaries of the Mayor and the administration has been accompanied by controversy and dissatisfaction.
While the president and her cabinet will benefit from significant salary increases, compared to basic level employees, opposition councilors walked out of the meeting, calling the decision unfair and inappropriate, especially when the ship with toxic waste is in port.
"Dritan Burgija, chairman of the group of democratic advisers, when he says that he is not against the salary increase, but a fair distribution is needed".
With this decision, the Mayor of Durrës, Emiriana Sako , increased her salary by 56.7%, bringing it from 1 million 850 thousand Lek to 2 million 900 thousand old Lek per month.
An increase of 40.6% was also made for its three vice-presidents, Renis Mullaj, Elio Jani and Gentian Kallmi , who from September 1, according to the decision, will be paid 2 million 250 thousand old lek, from 1 million and 600 thousand lek that they received before. The salary for the general secretary of the municipality has increased by 55.6%.
In the same percentage as the mayor's salary, the monthly payment for municipal councilors has also increased, from the old 185,000 ALL to 290,000 ALL.
For directorates, the increase is 55%. The head of the cabinet benefited from the biggest increase with 86.7%, as well as the adviser to the mayor and the spokesperson of the institution with a 90.8% increase, rising to the level of director of the directorate.
The increases at other levels vary, but not at the same level. For specialists in the municipal apparatus, the increase is 14.3%.
Meanwhile, for structures dependent on the municipality that have law enforcement and service functions, the increase for inspectors and specialists is lower.
For the chief inspector of the Territory Protection, the salary increases by 49.4%, while for his subordinates only 7%, or 50 thousand ALL more than until now.
There are smaller differences in other sectors such as the Agro-Agricultural Market and the Economic Center of Education, while there will be no salary increase for the specialists of the support sector of the fire station.
Also critical is the increase in monthly salaries for storekeepers, drivers, guards, cleaners and other administrative employees, whose salary used to vary from 400,000-470,000 lek per month and is now unified at 470,000 for all.
The increase in salaries at different levels of the municipal administration in Durrës has deepened the contrast between elected officials, senior officials and basic service workers, prompting debate on the priorities of decision-making, especially in times of crisis such as that of toxic waste in the port, while councilors of the opposition have no expectations from the institution of the district prefect./ Tch