“VV and LDK are jeopardising the state, from March 1st no payment to”

The political adviser at the Ministry of Finance, Lulzim Rafuna, says of Online Economy, that in case the new government is not formed, on March 1st no payment will be realised, including state employees' salaries.

Although no deadlines are defined by law as to when the state budget should be approved, Rafuna says that if it is the active deadline assembly, it is October 31st.

“As for forming the Government as soon as there is government, it is better for the country and the country's institutions, while there is no legal deadline for when the government should be. As for the Republic of Kosovo's budget in the law on public finance management, there is no legal deadline for when the budget should be approved in the government. Except for the occasion when the law on public finance management predicts that in situations where you have a Parliament of the Republic of Kosovo by October 31st, the budget should be approved, it must go to the Parliament of the Republic of Kosovo. But in the concrete case we have a situation different because on October 31st we have not had a assembly because of the” election process, he says.

Rafuna says the Ministry of Finance has prepared the budget as it has been charged with the Public Finance Management Law and is ready for proceedings in the Government and Assembly.

The Ministry of Finance has taken all steps and prepared the budget as it has been binding on the law on public finance management, and a draft is final to the Ministry of Finance, which is willing that in the circumstances we are present today because the budget is prepared under circumstances and at the time we are now and is willing to forward to the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo. The Public Finance Management Law does not recognise any term except the term government, does not recognise government in resignations, government in office, Constitutional Court opinion or opinion, the Constitutional Court does not object to the government, which is today in charge of making decisions”, he says.

Former Finance Minister Bedri Hamza's adviser explains that the 2019 budget could be exploited only the first two months of 2020.

And for the month of March, it must be the decision of the Parliament.

“There are two Public Finance Management Law situations, predict, if there is a 4-month choice, than the first fiscal year then begins then the second and second January, and February the 2019 budget will be implemented and the separation of1/12 from now, if the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo does not take action to bring about a decision that even during the month of March 2019 will implement the 2019 budget, that means that on February 29th, 1st no other payment can be made except for the international public debt<1>, he says.

But if we don't have government and the Parliament doesn't issue a decision, Rafuna says on March 1st no payment can be made, except for international public debt.

If the Parliament of the Republic of Kosovo brings a decision covering it in the implementation of the 2019 budget, then it implies that no payment can be made on April 1st unless it is made except for international public debt. We have two situations. The first situation when you don't make a decision then everything stops on March 1st and the second situation is in case the assembly brings a decision for March everything is interrupted on April 1st and any payment inside cannot be made except for the international public debt”, he says.

Early parliamentary elections were held on 6 October, and since then Kosovo has been without institutions. This is due to the neglect of the winning party, which is not finding a formula for securing the parliamentary majority for forming the government.