Haradinaj government has increased luxury spending for 10m euros

The Kosovo government, according to the financial report for this year's six months, has spent 92m euros on goods and services. Compared to the same period last year, there is an increase in these expenditures for about 10m euros.

Expenses for goods and services include travel expenses, telecom spending, derivatives, maintenance, rent of public objects, purchase of furniture and equipment, as well as other purchases.

Until, Kosovo Government officials say spending has been made in accordance with the Law on Budget, economic issues expert considers numerous expenses that will have to be initiated with savings policies.

Economics expert Safet Gerjaliu, in a proposal for Radio Free Europe, says public institutions should have a more positive approach to saving spending and reducing it.

He says there should be work on increasing the responsibility of spending public money, there should be monitoring, and if there are abuses of punishment.

The “in Kosovo is dominated by a political agenda, an agenda that is taken to grace the past rather than build the future, and the future is economic development. It should not be the private sector every time that generates prosperity and economic stability, a contribution of public institutions is needed here. In this direction if modern economic management trends are analysed and spending reductions are key indicators reflecting positiveness in entrepreneurship and institutions, but this is not happening in Kosovo”, Gerjaliu says.

On the other hand, Kosovo Government Economic Adviser Haki Shatri tells Radio Free Europe that expenditures have been made within quotas allowed with the Kosovo budget.

“Public spending is fully in accordance with the Law on the current budget and in accordance with the Law on Public Finance Management and responsibilities. Each budget organisation has not exceeded the budget limit and is within the allowed quotas. There's control for all the expenses”, Satri points out.

However, economics expert Safet Gerjaliu says these costs may have been submitted as demand, but it is likely to be reduced.

He adds that it is not the Ministry of Finance's duty to always be monitoring in this direction, and according to him, budgetary agencies should also have a higher culture of spending public money.

The “in public institutions in Kosovo today is not a trend to save, but it is an attempt to rob, an attempt to enrich and misuse. I believe it's time to have a conscious campaign for these institutions that if today it's saved for tomorrow for the new generations. It must be understood that saving is the value citizens will benefit from and well-being will increase in state institutions”, Gerjaliu points out.

Kosovo's budget for 2018 is 1.8 billion euros.

Budget agencies in Kosovo have been constantly criticised by economic organisations and by experts on economic issues of mismanagement and misuse of public money.