Limaj: The practice of major law import must be changed

Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Fatmir Limaj said the Kosovo government will be a business partner for strengthening the economy, but there is still work to eliminate all business barriers.

He made these comments at the “local productions at the supermarket-internal Trade Disorder” organised by the Kosovo Producers Club.

Limaj said it is disturbing that Kosovo markets are packed with 90 percent of imported products, while covering only 10 percent of local products.

This situation must be changed, and this practice of 90 to 10 will be legally removed from MTI to allow the country and the young.

It's disturbing, alarming by what Astritus said, which comes out of this report that 90 percent of our markets are packed with foreign products, and 10 percent of local production, if anyone comes out and says that we have no more than 10 percent of the local production, but if someone comes out and says that there's no chance and potential than 10 percent of local products, then we have to try to make more and more. However, if we have local production and that production doesn't find the place where it should, as well as there are no equal conditions to be exposed and offered to the citizens of Kosovo, then we have other problems with which we're called along with the new partners to find solutions and see where the” problems are, Limaj stressed.

He has appealed that producers should be treated equally. Defending the decision on measures taken against the flour industry, Limaj said measures would be taken against other imported products as well.

The priorities, according to him, are local production and this wild market, as he said, be regulated legally.

Trade and Industry Minister Bajram Hasani stressed that all finds should be taken for the basis of a better domestic and foreign trade law.

He has said that the priority has business empowerment and the support of local producers, and indicated they will take measures in the conform protection of producers.

We as priorities have business empowerment, of course particular focus also on the governing plan have local production empowerment. I thank Deputy Prime Minister Fatmir Limaj for giving me strong support in making these decisions, decisions that really have to make changes to make. We've taken precautions, we've started and I believe we're in the process where the law allows us, where there's a possibility. MTI, it is possible only through respect to the SAA and CEFTA agreement, through anti-damping law, where we see there are prices of embroidered and we will act in line to protect local producers”, Hasani said.

Astrit Panja, executive director at the Kosovo Producers Club, said one of the problems found in the Riinvest Institute report is consistency in production, or not enough production capacities as junk marketing.

Kosovo needs to fix the market, we are not asking to close the market for imports, but to have market regulation within Kosovo. We have our state obligations to CEFTA and SAA, but we must have fair competition within Kosovo's territory. I believe that in Kosovo there are enough high-quality products, which are facing numerous difficulties, difficulties to export outside Kosovo that face tax barriers and not tariffs from countries in the region, but we also have trouble penetrate the Kosovo market”, Panja said.

Dillza Gashi from the Riinvest Institute has presented the study recommendations report “Relations between local producers and retail retailers”.

In this study, she has mentioned that there are trade irregularities and problems facing local producers. While Fatos Islami from Elkos Group has said the cause of major import is the lack of products, respectively.