Infinite privatisation process in Kosovo

As for this process, AKP officials consider the privatisation process successful last year, without bypassing even some challenges they have conveyed, while representatives of workers estimate the privatisation process failed.

Ekrem Hajdari, managing director at the Kosovar Privatisation Agency, has told Rel that the total amount of funds collected has reached over 681m euros, out of which 210m euros have been granted to creditors and transferred to former social companies workers.

We've had a record year of 160 contracts connected within the year, the year after, we've finalised 220 contracts, so it's a record year. Interestingly, within these 11 waves that we've had every month, we've received 2,000 offers through the public tender. This proves that even this year the trust of potential investors, who have begun not to hesitate and come with offers that are attractive”, Hajdari has said.

Most companies sold in Kosovo have been privatised with the method called regular spin-off, while companies that are considered larger have been privatised with the special spa-off approach.

In the latter, privatisation does not allow the company's change of destination.

On the other hand, workers' representatives consider the privatisation process in Kosovo to have marked regress in the country's economic development.

Avni Aydin, chairman of the Union of Independent Trade Unions of Kosovo, (BSPK) says the privatisation process has been wild and without any actual analysis, which would have a positive impact on overall economic development.

“We never had the highest unemployment rate”, says Aydin for Radio Free Europe.

Aydin, meanwhile, claims that extending the privatisation process itself creates doubts about the benefits of specific interest groups. This process, according to him, should be completed as soon as possible.

This process has become an immortal one. Without borders, they will last for the interests of certain individuals. Like the land issue, property, which has received for 99 years at a symbolic price, has been sold at high prices”, he says.

But AKP officials say seven more years is needed to privatise all assets of social enterprises. Ekrem Hajdari says that only one office within one of the Kosovo Government ministries is expected to disappear after this period.

The privatisation process, at the current stage where we are, is at half. Since the AKP's founding, 15 years to date, half of the work has been completed. When we think that the other half, we think of finalizing for the next seven years. Another document has been prepared that will determine this time of the privatisation process, which has been intended for seven years to finalise”, Hajdari said.

Otherwise, government officials have earlier claimed that many of the social companies privatised by the Kosovo Privatisation Agency have failed to function.