A draft law submitted for public consultation by the Ministry of Culture aims to create a financial treatment scheme for performing artists who have not reached retirement age but must discontinue their stage activity.

Under the name "On the financial treatment of performing artists after the cessation of their stage artistic activity", the draft law provides that artists working in public institutions can benefit from financial treatment, a kind of early retirement, starting at the age of 47 if they terminate this employment relationship.

The age limit of 47 years is only for artists who have professions of physical performance on stage such as: acrobats, dancers and dancers. Meanwhile, for the profession of lyric singer - soloist, the right to benefit from financial treatment arises when the artist is 57 years old, which also applies to choir members.

On the other hand, the benefit of financial treatment under this law does not affect the right to receive old-age pension, disability pension or family pension, according to the legislation in force on social security.

According to the draft law, the financial treatment measure is 70 percent of the gross monthly salary and is received for a period of 5 years. After the first 5 years, the financial treatment measure is reduced to 50 percent of the net monthly salary.

The financial treatment measure is available until the date of birth of the right to old-age pension, disability pension or family pension. According to the established criteria, this draft law signed by Blendi Gonxhe benefits artists of the National Opera and Ballet Theater and those of the National Circus.

The period during which the beneficiary entity receives financial treatment, according to this law, is known as the insurance period for the purpose of benefiting from the old-age pension. The financial treatment provided for in this law is financed by the State Budget, which also covers the costs of social and health insurance contributions.

However, the beneficiaries of this financial treatment scheme, at the request of the public institution of art and culture, engage, without additional remuneration for 250 hours per calendar year, in training, promotional, artistic, cultural or professional mentoring activities, in accordance with their skills and capabilities. This draft law enters into force on 1 January 2027 and has no retroactive effect.