Response: Creators and performers are not civil servants

20.08.2015

In today’s article titled “The Ministry of Culture has invented the title “Ensemble Doyenne”, published in the daily paper “Koha Ditore”, journalist Shaban Maxharraj has erroneously alleged the lack of legal grounds for awarding the title “Ensemble Doyenne” to singer Ismet Bogujevci.

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) wishes to clarify that Mr Bogujevci is not a civil servant, but a performer and any journalist who professes to write about culture and Kosovo institutions should be aware of this fact.

The title awarded by the General Secretary, Ensemble Doyenne, for the renowned singer Ismet Boujevci is an epithet, which is given in full compliance with the law.

We wish to explain that the Minister, General Secretary and/or the relevant Ministry has executive competencies to promote and support rational initiatives, be it from the subsidiary institutions, individuals and organisations whose mission and objectives align with the activities covered by the MCYS. Ensemble Doyenne is a title that is awarded to the most notable artist, in this case member of the “Shota” Ensemble. For this title, the Ministry has awarded a symbolic fund, based on Regulation No. 5/2011 for Awards and Stipends of the Cultural Creators and Professional Performers of Cultural Heritage. Moreover, this Regulation stipulates precisely in Article 17, Bonus Payments on the base salary, 4. Other forms of bonus payments are made according to the relevant provisions of the Labour Law No 03/L-212 and the Law of the Salaries of Civil Servants No. 03/L-147.

MCYS is prepared to cooperate with the media, with the aim of providing accurate information for the Kosovo citizens and to benefit public opinion.

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