Serious consequences for Kosovo if 2019 budget is not approved

For Thursday it is scheduled to be put to the polls in the Kosovo Assembly draft budget for 2019.

Experts warn of the consequences for the state if the budget does not pass.

Even delays in adopting the Bill on the 2019 budget can show consequences such as halting all services, such as wages, purchases, supplies, investments and many capital projects.

However, if the budget fails to be voted in by early March, then the government risks falling.

Agim Krasniqi, former director of the budget in the Government of Kosovo, tells KALLXO.com that by the third month of this year there must be a decision of the Assembly on the state ark.

In case budget approval does not occur, the Government has no right to spend any means except that the minister and treasury are authorised to make payment for debt laundering. The consequences in our case if the budget is not approved, the services stop for pay, purchase, supply, investment, all other expenditures”, he said.

Krasniqi added that if the budget does not pass and the Government falls, the budget crisis is not resolved, as government creation needs time and then the budget needs to be reviewed.

If delayed budget approval is again jeopardised capital projects, although there is still time. The budget could be approved by the end of February or March, as it is the deadline. The share of revenues in the budget is accomplished smoothly, and nobody prevents this” part, he stressed.

Meanwhile, the economics expert, Iron Murati, told KALLXO.com that if by Thursday no budget passes and there is no decision of a monthly accommodation extension for February, then, according to him, since February 1st, the Government enters “-dow”, and cannot make any single spending, excluding payments for public debt.

If the Government enters ʹshut-dawnı, then it cannot be paid wages, pensions, or even bills for other public services. This naturality that would create a disorder in the country's economy, and such a government would hardly survive during”, Murati concluded.

Otherwise, Kosovo Assembly Chairman Kadri Veselini had warned that at the January 31st session, the budget approval for 2019 will be in order.

On the 31st, we will have a parliamentary session that will be with some very important agenda points for our citizens. It is the Law on the Budget, the Law of Trepca, the Law for Pays, and a host of other laws that will approve the Assembly in the service of citizens' interests”, Wessel had said.