Money blessing for returnees
Swiss pensions will soon also flow to Albania
There is good news for Albanian seniors: soon Swiss AHV and IV pensions will also be paid out to Albania.
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Skanderbeg Square in the center of Albania’s capital, Tirana.
Leah HartmannEditor Politics
Money or Home? Albanians who have lived and worked in Switzerland for decades must make a decision when they retire. If they return to their country of origin for the rest of their lives, they will not receive an AHV pension – even though they have paid contributions for it. The reason is the lack of an agreement between Albania and Switzerland that regulates the payment of AHV and IV pensions. Albania is the only Balkan country with which there is no such agreement. Not yet.
Such an agreement has already been signed. Albania knocked on Switzerland’s door five years ago. Due to the corona pandemic, the conclusion of the contract had been delayed. All that is missing now is the green light from Parliament. The National Council will decide on Monday – the yes should be a mere formality. The Council of States must then agree.
Union is happy
Hilmi Gashi from the Unia trade union welcomes the fact that pensions will soon be flowing to Albania. “Social security in old age is important.” In his view, the free choice of where someone would like to live after retirement is one of the fundamental freedoms.
“There will be many people who will return to their homeland if this agreement is reached,” he believes. After all, living in Albania is much better with a Swiss pension than in Switzerland, given the lower cost of living. Around 3000 Albanians currently live in this country.
The federal government also expects that the payment of pensions abroad will induce some Albanians to leave Switzerland. This could lead to savings because these people can no longer receive supplementary benefits, premium reductions or social assistance, for example.
On the other hand, there will be more pension payments in the future because of the agreement, since people are now entitled to money who were not previously entitled to it. The federal government is assuming additional costs of CHF 2.5 million per year.