OAK: Government Continues to Curve Strategic Investors' Coming · Global Voices

This has made a huge difference between employees in the region and Kosovo, where we have the low state budget as a result.

A local company has remained in procedure to declare strategic investors by the Government, which is expected to take place at the next meeting, following several delays at the request of Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti.

While Kosovo's Oda of Afarism Board Chairman Skender Krasniqi has blamed Government for continuing to prevent the arrival of strategic investments.

Minister of Trade and Industry Minister Albert Maxhuni's cabinet chief has told Kosovo Press that, unfortunately, only one investor has gained strategic investor status in Kosovo so far.

For lack of strategic investments, Maxhuni has said there have been a lot of bureaucratic procedures for applicants of this status, but after MTI Minister Vesel Krasniqi's arrival, some benefits of the procedures for investors have been made.

Maxhun expects at the next Government meeting, the company “Cosming Foods KPS” to be declared a strategic investor.

The “certain bureaucratic procedures that need to be passed, which unfortunately are highly bureaucratic, and with the appointment of Minister Krasniqi's office, we have created a working team to make some changes to facilitate some procedures for obtaining strategic investor status... At the government's latest meeting, Minister Krasniqi has shown that all commissions and working groups who have participated in the procedure to the point of the subject have been okay. Prime Minister, I think we need another consultancy. But I do believe that the next meeting will pass “Cosmone Foods KPS”... I had to finish that day, but it's the prime minister's opinion and I believe it will soon pass... The minister's departure from the meeting was due to the minister's agenda, not demonstrateably”, Maximi says.

He also stressed that by the end of the year, 4 to 5 companies are expected to gain strategic investor status.

So far there are about 30 applicants to gain strategic investor status. We're doing everything we can with KIESA and other experts to put off as much as possible... So far only a strategic investor has won this right, while “Compacted KPS” is currently in procedure, in Government. While there are four or five others expected very soon to be headed to government”, he says.

On the other hand, the chairman of Kosovo's Afarism Oda (OAK) board, Skender Krasniqi, says unfortunately the Government of Kosovo is failing to meet citizens' demands and needs for better prosperity, increased employment and ease of doing business.

Krasniqi has also said that despite the Law for Strategic Investment has been adopted, many years ago and there are dozens of applications for strategic investors, the Government of Kosovo has established barriers to these companies that meet the criteria.

“We are seeing these do not now pass into the Kosovo government, there are some government meetings that are delaying the vote to pass on strategic investors. Therefore, this continues to hinder the arrival of investors, investments continue to be hampered, despite these meeting the requirements by the Interministerial Commission for Investment”, Krasniqi points out.

He added that if this neglect of the Government of Kosovo continues, even the business community has difficulty inviting those companies for investments.

For this reason, we as businesses are unable to make strategic investment plans in Kosovo, but also invite someone to invest as a result of the obstacles the state has created for foreign and local investors. Because there are hundreds of local investors who are interested in investing in Kosovo, but are unable to invest if this neglect continues, non-coordinating, no work by the Kosovo government on the arrival of investors and investments”, he says.

While, the prime minister's office has failed to explain why strategic investors are not being announced by the government.

Otherwise, the last meeting in Government was launched at the request of the country's prime minister, Avdullah Hoti, since the agenda, points to review the decision on granting strategic investor status to investment subject “Compated Foods KPS”.

The prime minister's request had opposed Trade and Industry Minister Vesel Krasniqi, who has said there is no reason why this point of the agenda is not considered.

It's very interesting since 1st, the Ministry of Trade and Industry has made this request to be implemented and all procedures have been carried out, all legal interpretations and all have turned positive and I don't see a reason why this agenda point for the next” meeting is delayed, Krasniqi said.

Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti has indicated there will be no delay if he is delayed for the next meeting.

I believe that the next meeting is not a big delay and that we clear up all related issues on this point. Keep in mind that the points, of course, except that they have to get approval, so to meet all technical, legal procedures to get into the order of the day, there are other aspects that we need to consider”, Hoti said at the Government meeting.

Kosovo has only one strategic investor, and it is “SoWI Kosova” for renewable energy at Shala in Bajgora.