Press Statement of the Minister of State for Relations with Parliament, Ermonela Felaj:

 

On 02.02.2017, the Albanian Parliament adopted the law “On the oil and gas industry employees status”, which entered into force on 09.03.2017.

According to this law, the Council of Ministers was obliged to issue within three months the sub-legal acts that ensure its actual implementation.

Pursuant to the law on oilman status, the Government approved today a decision defining the rules on how this status will be specifically benefited, and how any oilman or former oilman will obtain the relevant certification.

We point out that approximately 5000 oilmen benefit from the law on oilman status throughout the country, and this law is the product of a promise kept by this Government, and of all the important reforms that our Government has undertaken in just 3 and a half years.

For the first time in 25 years, our government has turned its attention to 5.000 oilmen and has returned them what they deserve for what they have given over the years and continue to give with their committed work in the oil sector, as they sacrifice their lives, their health, the time they could spend with their families, spouses and children.

This is the first status that doesn’t foresee only the right to early retirement, but it provides for a number of direct benefits in terms of salary, pension, treatment of the unemployed, the right to rehiring, the right to healthcare, and the right to privatizations and concessions.

The law on the oilman status envisages benefits to the oilmen who are employed in terms of their right to early retirement, to the unemployed oilmen who are given priority in terms of employment and, if they meet the requirements provided for by the law, also an allowance equal to 80% of the minimum age at a national level.

The law provides for benefits also for those who have retired. Based on their service length, they will benefit from an addition of 1% to 4% to the current pension.

In order to be issued the official identification certificate, all oilmen and former oilmen are required to submit an application to the enterprise or institution where they have worked, along with a certified copy of the work booklet.

The enterprise will issue to the oilman or former oilman the relevant official certificate where the jobs or duties performed and their length will be specified.

The certificate will be submitted to the Ministry of Energy and Industry where a Commission consisting of representatives of this Ministry, of the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth, and the Ministry of Finance will issue the final status confirmation.

In order to obtain the same certificate, former oilmen who are now retired will need to submit an application to the Regional Offices of the Health Insurance Institute where they have their work booklet.

In case the enterprise or the institution do not exist any longer for various reasons, the certificate will be issued by the institution where the archive with the respective documentation is located.

The decision of the Council of Ministers does also make other important arrangements regarding the further clarification of the terms used in the law, such as who is to be considered technical staff, or how workers (oilmen or former oilmen) will be treated in terms of employment relations in other countries with which the Republic of Albania has entered agreements in the field of social protection.

Thank you!