Six destitute Government chauffeurs file lawsuits

The lawsuit was filed with the First Basic Court in Belgrade while the chauffeurs told the Beta news agency that they often have to drive the highest state officials all day “hungry, thirsty and exhausted,” because they have no money to buy food.

The chauffeurs said that, in that exhausted state, driving for hundreds of kilometers per day, they endanger their own health and put the safety of passengers at risk.

They explained that, with the latest pay rise, the monthly salary of professional chauffeurs employed in the Administration for Joint Affairs of the Republic Bodies amounts to 52,000 dinars (1 euro – 117 dinars).

Replying to Beta’s questions, the Administration for Joint Affairs of the Republic Bodies said that daily allowances are paid in line with the Decree on Reimbursement of Expenses and Severance Pay of Civil Servants and that the prescribed amount of daily allowances does not depend on the will of the heads of state bodies.

It further said that, for every hour of overtime work employees should get one and a half hours off. “If, due to the nature of the job, an employee cannot use his or her free hours, each overtime hour will be paid with an increase of 26 percent,” said the Administration.

In its written statement it added that the chauffeurs who filed the lawsuits have not been “discharged,” and that they continue to do their job in line with the rulebook on internal organization and systematization of jobs.