Pristina, 21 January 2016
Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Mr. Arban Abrashi, together with British Ambassador Ruairi O’Conell and representative for UNDP, Mr. Andrew Russell, signed today an agreement to subsidize 130 job places.
With the signing of this agreement, the minister Abrashi said that this year is leaving the priority of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare for the creation of new jobs, training and rehabilitation of young people to prepare them for the job market. “This project aims in a twelve month period to start with vocational training, and also wage subsidies, a practice which has worked very well last year. With this we intend be enabled and integrate job seekers into the labor market. This project is open to all, but has a preference for female job seekers and in sectors, as a ministry together with our partners, we think are the sectors that could generate new sustainable jobs, such as processing Wood, metal, textile, information technology and agricultural products, “said Minister Mr. Abrashi, stating that this pilot project starts with 130 employees, who will be subsidized salaries for 12 months.
With a case of signing the agreement, the British ambassadorMr. Ruairi O’Conell said that unemployment in Kosovo is very high, and all polls show that unemployment is the first concern in Kosovo or second. “At the same time universities are full of students, but businesses complain about the lack of training of the workforce. For us, the British Embassy, and for me personally, the economic development and employment is the most important priority, because it is in the interest not only of Kosovo but also of Britain, because this will be peace, stability and prosperity. As you look for a prosperous and developed Kosovo we as friends who are here, we will continue to help Kosovo’s institutions to create a better Kosovo, “said the Ambassador Mr. O’Conell.
Meanwhile, the UNDP representative, Mr. Andrew Russell, stressed the need to create a much better situation of employment in Kosovo and a stable economy based on Kosovo sources that exist. “Youth of Kosovo has a huge capacity to be used for economic growth and desire to be part of this. We are working to help the environment you work in, “said Mr. Russell. He added that there is an excellent partnership with MLSW, which have done a good job and now need only to wait the results.