75 per cent of companies think Serbia has negatively affected the development of Kosovo businesses

So says the research of the Kosovo Economic Ode on the subject “Presenting research about business opinion on the Kosovo-Serbia Agreement”.

The chairman of the Kosovo Economic Ode, Berat Rukiqi, said 41 per cent of Kosovo entrepreneurs consider reaching an agreement with Serbia would boost Kosovo's export.

According to him, over 63 per cent estimate that reaching this agreement would also affect increasing foreign direct investments in Kosovo.

“generally for 41 per cent of Kosovo companies consider that in the case of reaching Kosovo's agreement with Serbia somewhere 41 per cent will increase exports, while 33.33 per cent will probably answer. Also, 66.67 per cent of businesses consider it to be lowering transportation costs that are known or obstacles Serbia has made to the transit ...3;64 per cent think foreign investments will increase in this case of reaching the agreement between Kosovo and Serbia. Also, 90.91 per cent estimate that we will have a greater focus of the economic development government”, Rukiqi stressed.

Based on this research where the local companies are being targeted, it turns out that 75 per cent of businesses think Serbia has had a negative impact on the development of Kosovo businesses.

And as the main barrier, they have listed losing markets, unfair competition, damaging Kosovo's image.

“How negatively Serbia has affected the development of Kosovo businesses 75 per cent of businesses consider it to have had a negative impact is an overwhelming majority that believe in the entire period when Kosovo has had the potential for a much faster economic development Serbia has had a negative impact and the main reasons that highlight businesses are taxing exports as a result of barriers, loss of markets, unfair competition, damage to Kosovo's image from hurting the country's own image. Over 66.77 per cent consider it influenced export restrictions, more than 66 per cent considered having impacted unfair competition, 33 per cent consider it to have impacted loss of markets, 44 per cent consider having affected image damage”, he said.

OEK Mayor Berat Rukiqi said that based on this research, over 33 per cent of businesses consider the lack of agreement with Serbia has affected the low level of export of Kosovo goods.

Regarding the state of doing business in Kosovo during July, August, September, according to businesses, the situation is satisfactory and has increased credibility indicator, while the unemployment rate remains stable.

As barriers that businesses have faced over the past three months, consumers are not paying over time, non-combat competition, lack of financial means, and so on.