Serbian FinMin says government adopted documents for new aid package

He said the package is worth 249.4 billion Dinars and includes three payments of 50 percent of the minimum wage per employees, once-off payments of 60 Euro to all adults and 50 Euro to every pensioner as well as new loans as part of the guarantees scheme for the economy. The minimum wage payments will start on April 8, he said adding that the payments will be for the March, April and May salaries, the minister specified and added that companies will have to apply for every payment. “There are two conditions – they can’t lay off more than 10 percent of their staff within the three months following the last payment and if they apply for the payments they loose their right to dividends (from state-owned companies),” he said.

According to Mali, the minimum wage payments will be made for a total of 1.4 million employees because the aid package has been expanded to include big companies. He said the catering and tourism industries and car rental companies will get another payment of the entire minimum wage.

The minister said that last year’s loan guarantee scheme will be expanded by another 500 million Euro and another guarantees scheme will be set up for the companies with the biggest problems.