Government approves year-end bonuses for pensioners, decision revealed
The Council of Ministers, at today's meeting, decided to financially reward pensioners and beneficiaries of special categories on the occasion of the end-of-year holidays. 15,000 lek for pensioners with a pension of up to 20,000 lek and several other categories of beneficiaries and 10,000 lek for pensioners with a pension over 20,000 lek and beneficiaries of special treatments.
DECISION
ON
PENSIONERS' REWARD FOR THE END OF YEAR HOLIDAYS 2025
In accordance with Article 100 of the Constitution, Article 5 of Law No. 9936, dated 26.6.2008, “On the Management of the Budget System in the Republic of Albania”, as amended, and Law No. 115/2024, “On the 2025 Budget”, as amended, upon the proposal of the Minister of Economy and Innovation, the Council of Ministers
DECIDED:
1. Reward, in the amount of 15,000 (fifteen thousand) lekë, to persons, according to the following categories:
a) Persons who benefit from an old-age pension up to the pension amount of 20,000 (twenty thousand) lekë, including this amount, according to laws no. 7703, dated 11.5.1993, “On social security in the Republic of Albania”, as amended, no. 4171, dated 13.9.1966, “On social security in the People's Republic of Albania”, and no. 4976, dated 29.6.1972, “On pensions of members of agricultural cooperatives in the People's Republic of Albania”;
b) Persons who benefit from a disability pension, family pension and social pension, according to laws no. 7703, dated 11.5.1993, “On social security in the Republic of Albania”, as amended, and no. 4171, dated 13.9.1966, “On social security in the People's Republic of Albania”;
c) Persons who do not receive a pension, but are only beneficiaries of financial treatment, as children in the care of the Republic, according to law no. 129/2021, “On the status of children in the care of the Republic”;
ç) Persons who do not receive a pension, but are only beneficiaries of special financial treatment, according to articles 5/1/a or 5/1/b, of law no. 7703, dated 11.5.1993, “On social security in the Republic of Albania”, as amended;
d) Persons who do not receive a pension, but are only beneficiaries according to law no. 8455 dated 4.2.1999, “On a special treatment of the families of pilots who lose their lives in the performance of their duties during a flight”;
dh) Persons who do not receive a pension, but who are treated only with financial compensation as veterans of the Albanian National Liberation War, according to decision no. 190, dated 3.5.1995, of the Council of Ministers, “On the implementation of law no. 7874, dated 17.11.1994, “On the status of the veteran of the Anti-fascist National Liberation War of the Albanian people”, as well as persons who receive only a special pension for special merits, according to the provisions of law no. 4171, dated 13.9.1966, “On social security in the People's Republic of Albania”;
e) Persons who receive an early pension for seniority of service, up to the pension amount of 20,000 (twenty thousand) lekë, including this amount, according to law no. 10142, dated 15.5.2009, “On supplementary social security of the military personnel of the Armed Forces, of employees of the State Police, the Guard of the Republic, the State Intelligence Service, the Prison Police, the Fire and Rescue Police and the employees of the Internal Control Service in the Republic of Albania”, as amended, and are not employed at the time of entry into force of this decision;
ë) Persons who benefit from a pension up to the pension amount of 20,000 (twenty thousand) lekë, including this amount, according to Law No. 150/2014, “On pensions of employees who have worked in underground mines”;
f) Persons who benefit from special financial treatment, up to the pension amount of 20,000 (twenty thousand) lekë, including this amount, according to law no. 8685, dated 22.6.2000, “On a special treatment of employees who have worked in mines, underground”, as amended;
g) Persons who benefit from special financial treatment, up to the pension amount of 20,000 (twenty thousand) lekë, including this amount, according to law no. 9179, dated 29.1.2004, “On a special treatment of employees who have worked in several military industry enterprises”, as amended;
gj) Persons who receive a pension due to a difficult profession, up to the pension amount of 20,000 (twenty thousand) lekë, including this amount, according to Article 5 of Law No. 29/2019, "On the supplementary financial treatment of employees who have worked in underground mines, employees of the oil and gas industry and employees who have worked in metallurgy".
2. Reward, in the amount of 10,000 (ten thousand) lek, to persons, according to the following categories:
a) Persons who benefit from an old-age pension with a pension amount over 20,000 (twenty thousand) lekë, according to laws no. 7703, dated 11.5.1993, “On social security in the Republic of Albania”, as amended, no. 4171, dated 13.9.1966, “On social security in the People's Republic of Albania”, and no. 4976, dated 29.6.1972, “On pensions of members of agricultural cooperatives in the People's Republic of Albania”;
b) Persons who benefit from special financial treatment, above the pension amount of 20,000 (twenty thousand) lekë, according to law no. 9179, dated 29.1.2004, “On a special treatment of employees who have worked in some military industry enterprises”, as amended;
c) Persons who benefit from a pension with a pension amount over 20,000 (twenty thousand) lekë, according to Law No. 150/2014, “On pensions of employees who have worked in underground mines”;
ç) Persons who benefit from special financial treatment, according to Law No. 8685, dated 22.6.2000, “On special treatment of employees who have worked in underground mines”, as amended, with a benefit amount of over 20,000 (twenty thousand) lekë;
d) Persons who benefit from early retirement for seniority of service, with a benefit amount of over 20,000 (twenty thousand) lekë, according to Law No. 10142, dated 15.5.2009, “On supplementary social security of members of the Armed Forces, employees of the State Police, the Guard of the Republic, the State Intelligence Service, the Prison Police, the Fire and Rescue Police and employees of the Internal Control Service in Republic of Albania”, as amended;
dh) Persons who do not benefit from a pension, but who only benefit from a special state pension, in accordance with Article 5 of Law No. 7703, dated 11.5.1993, “On social security in the Republic of Albania”, as amended;
e) Persons who do not benefit from a pension under Law No. 7703, dated 11.5.1993, “On social security in the Republic of Albania”, as amended, but benefit from a supplementary pension, according to Law No. 8097, dated 21.3.1996, “On supplementary state pensions of persons performing constitutional functions and of state employees”, as amended;
ë) Persons who benefit from a pension due to a difficult profession, according to Article 5 of Law No. 29/2019, “On the financial, supplementary treatment of employees who have worked in underground mines, of employees of the oil and gas industry and of employees who have worked in metallurgy", with a benefit amount of over 20,000 (twenty thousand) lek.
3. The right to benefit from the reward, to the extent determined under points 1 and 2 of this decision, is also granted to those persons whose benefit start date is up to and including 31.12.2025, and they are entitled to receive this reward only once, despite the fact that they may benefit from more than one benefit.
4. The financial effects resulting from the implementation of this decision are calculated at the amount of 10,404,515,000 (ten billion, four hundred and four million, five hundred and fifteen thousand) lekë, divided into 10,332,190,000 (ten billion, three hundred and thirty-two million, one hundred and ninety thousand) lekë for the reward and 72,325,000 (seventy-two million, three hundred and twenty-five thousand) lekë for administrative expenses for the award of the reward.
5. The bonuses are transferred to the pensioners' accounts in December 2025 and are paid during this month. In cases where effective payments are not made within December 2025, they shall be paid by 30.6.2026. Unwithdrawn bonuses are time-barred after 30.6.2026.
6. The administration of the budgetary funds for the remuneration of pensioners, the determination of the remuneration for each beneficiary and the payments are carried out by the Social Insurance Institute, the Albanian Post, sh.a., and the second-tier banks, according to the same procedures that apply to the administration of the social security fund.
7. The financial effects of 10,404,515,000 (ten billion, four hundred and four million, five hundred and fifteen thousand) lek are covered as follows:
a) In the amount of 9,700,000,000 (nine billion seven hundred million) lek, from the fund "For the pensioners' bonus", approved in the 2025 budget;
b) In the amount of 704,515,000 (seven hundred four million five hundred fifteen thousand) lek, from the planned budget for social security, for the year 2025.
8. The Ministry of Economy and Innovation, the Ministry of Finance, the Social Security Institute and the Albanian Post, jsc, are responsible for the implementation of this decision.
This decision enters into force immediately and is published in the "Official Gazette".
PRIME MINISTER
EDI RAMA
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