This is the month when pensions will be increased, economic expert Kujtim Hoxha gives the last details and shows the path that the elderly should follow when they do not agree with the amount of benefits assigned to them by the ISSH

The well-known economic expert, Kujtim Hoxha, has provided some important information for pensioners. In an interview for "SOT" newspaper, Mr. Hoxha explained the practice followed and the documents that must be submitted by newly retired citizens. The expert also talked about pension applications that are made online, for those who may find it difficult to access services that ISSH offers online. On the other hand, he has given bad news for pensioners. According to him, the pension increase that was not made in April will be made in October, but it will be lower than other years.

-Mr. Hoxha, there are more than 15,000 citizens who retire every year, what is the practice that is followed and the documents that must be submitted by these newly retired citizens?

Under the terms of Article 92 of Law 7703, citizens who reach retirement age have the right to apply to receive the old-age pension. The age for men is 65 years, while for women this year it is 61 years and eight months. When they meet the age criterion, each applicant must have a minimum of 15 years of work and a maximum of 38 years and four months to receive a full old-age pension, both women and men. The documents that are needed to apply for a pension are the documents indicating seniority of work, where the basic document is the work book but also other documents such as certificates for the work performed in other companies that consider, as well as other documents for those who have other conditions to receive old-age pension. As it is, women must have completed higher education and prove this with a document that they have completed higher education and they benefit until 2032, for each year of completing higher education, they benefit from one year, but not more than 6 years. For all those who do not have these documents, it is enough to declare where they worked and Social Security has a legal obligation to find the seniority of the work that the individual has done. It is the legal obligation of ISSH to collect all the documents that prove and find the seniority of the work that the individual has done. For men, it is mandatory to prove the time of compulsory military service, it is considered seniority at work and apply at the post office and receive the document. Whereas for a part of the citizens who have benefited from special miner treatment, at the moment when the conditions arise to benefit from the miners' law, 150/2014 of law 7703, article 92, the probative part of seniority of work, which is called special treatment, that he submitted in 2000 and there are all the documents proving that he worked. As for all citizens who have benefited from law 10.142, it is the law for military personnel, which means that not only those who are military personnel are included, but also non-commissioned officers, officers, police officers and other ranks. These have the early retirement file of the military that they submitted to the supplementary sector and this period also serves as a benefit period from the ISSH.

-For two years, pension applications have been made online, for those who may find it difficult to access services that ISSH offers online, is assistance offered, so they have the opportunity to appear at the social security offices and receive the service there?

Kjo është vërtetë shqetësuese sepse moshën që kanë qytetarët që dalin në pension, e kanë shumë të vështirë për të hyrë në e-Albania për të vijuar me procedurat e tjera, pasi duhet të ketë kartën e ID, ka raste që kanë harruar passëord-in dhe nuk aksesojnë dot në e-Albania e si të tillë kërkojnë ndihmë dhe te ndonjë person i tyre i afërm. Këto persona e kanë të pamundur e si e tillë hasin vështirësi e në shumë raste aplikojnë dhe nëpër kancelari por kundrejt një pagese që i rëndon një pensionisti. Fizikisht kur paraqiten në zyrën e ISSH-së, iu ofrohet asistenca e nevojshme nga specialistët e institucionit. Mirëpo problem mbetet për persona të cilët banojnë në zona të thella rurale, nuk kanë mundësi të marrin shërbimin e nevojshëm.

-Në momentin kur qytetarët nuk janë dakord me masën e përfitimit që u është caktuar nga ISSH, kanë mundësi të kërkojnë rillogaritje?

Qytetari mbi bazën e masës së pensionit që merr, kur e shikon se nuk është i qartë për masën e pensionit që i kanë caktuar apo një pjesë e viteve të punës nuk i është vlerësuar, ai ka të drejtë të kërkojë rishqyrtim i pensionit duke sjellë argumenta bindëse nëpërmjet aplikimit që bën online në e-Albania ku shoqërohet edhe me dokumenta dhe shënohen se cilat janë arsyet se përse kërkon rishqyrtimin. ISSH brenda 30 ditëve e ka detyrim me ligj që të përgjigjet për rastet që iu shkojnë në adresë elektronike dhe për t’ju dhënë zgjidhje qytetarëve. Çdo kush që sheh se komisioni i ka caktuar një shumë pensioni që nga ana tjetër qytetari e vlerëson si të padrejtë, qytetari ka të drejtë të kërkojë llogaritje apo të dërgojë kërkesën për rishqyrtim të vlerësimit. Dhe në momentin kur nga komisioni i rishqyrtimit nuk i jepet ajo që kërkon, qytetari ka të drejtë të ankimojë në Komisionin Rajonal të Ankimimit. Problemet janë nga më të ndryshmet por varet shumë dhe nga forca argumentuese e bindëse në dokumenta.

-Sipas gjasave, tetori është lënë sërish për indeksimin e pensioneve. Mendoni se do të jetë më e lartë rritja se vitin e kaluar?

The state budget for 2024 has provided indexation of pensions up to an average of 480 ALL. In October this is the deadline that this can be done. But of course I think that this is also being done for propaganda since we are approaching six months from the time of the 2025 elections. Instead of being given in April, they are given in October. This year, the indexation of pensions will be at a lower level compared to previous years, as the government itself declares that the state budget has decreased. But even from INSTAT data, it is propagated that the state budget is lower. When the country's economy is low, the indexation of the pension comes out even lower. There is not enough budget to make big laws. But with the revision of the budget, which takes place in the last three months of the year, in September or the end of October, the government can delegate and transfer the budget funds that have not been spent for the payment of pensions. It depends on the desire of the government and the relevant authorities. The indexation will not be higher compared to the previous year, and it will even be an indexation of a lower value rate, unlike previous years.