Rukiqi: Failure to adopt Recuperation Bill could cause irreparable damage to the economy

He says the damage that could be caused by delaying the adoption of this bill, such as closing businesses or losing jobs, would be irreversible.

The longer the vote on the Economic Regeneration Bill is delayed, the crisis is deepening, and then when it begins it is very difficult to recover. Some damage is irreversible. If we come into a situation to close down thousands of businesses, and thousands of jobs, they don't regulate any laws and financial support. We are in very delicate phase and each day is becoming more difficult”, Rukiqi said.

He has criticised the Parliament's deputies, who, according to him, have no will to adopt the bill, adding that their well-being and militants who have been employed are not endangered, but that most citizens are affected by the crisis that has caused the COVID-19 pandemic.

What I see on the political scene is failure to read the situation. Most of them start out from a comfortable position they have. Since they are not affected by the crisis, for this part of the political position and opposition scene, there is no kind of urgency to act. The situation is far different than the pandemic and global. These cases are here and can be multiplied and then if it doesn't intervene in the right time with the right mechanisms, we'll see an economic collapse very quickly”, he added.

According to Rukiqi, according to official data compared to last year due to the pandemic, total damage in the economy or the decline in circulation to businesses has reached 1 billion euros.

“We have an official report from ATK and if we compare the same period last year in the period since we are in restrictive measures due to the pandemic, there is mid-March, and August the overall damage to the economy or the decline of circulation to businesses has reached a value of 1 billion euros. This is reflected in both the country's economic performance or the gross domestic production, which will reflect on an economic contraction that will be no less than 5%. It's a lot to us because it's impossible for us to keep the trend we've had on economic growth”, Rukiqi told Online Economy.

He said businesses are unable to pay the pay they paid before pandemic, and if it doesn't pass the Project should be discussed by other mechanisms.

The business cannot pay the pay they paid before pandemic. Normally this will displease, but wages cannot remain artificially high especially when we have a decline in circulation and expenses remain the same. I have expected that there will be support for the liquidity of companies and there will be increased purchasing power and the situation will improve by the end of the year. Now we're at a status point in government decisions as well as business decisions, but if it just doesn't pass the law then we have to start discussing other mechanisms. The right decision has been made about the liquidity of companies that go for workers' salaries and are distributed to companies that will actually find it easier to pay workers' salaries”, Rukiqi said.

According to him, arrests by the Special Court cannot pose a problem for investors coming to Kosovo at this moment.

Kosovo has problems with image with or has the Special Court. I don't see any direct influence of the Special Court in relation to foreign investment right now. Kosovo already has an injury, but if the process in court is prolonged and Kosovo is constantly the subject in the world media because of an unfair trial then it could have its own effects. The special court should be very transparent because it is a problem that Kosovo has because it will be world media titles and the longer this period of damage is even greater in relation to the country's investments and image. It is in the country's interest to have a process quickly closed”, he added.

OEK's chairman said that after the deal in Washington more should be invested in the Kosovo image part to ensure investments.

These last visits we had from the US delegation here have widely addressed the image part and saw that what is broadcast outside Kosovo and what is actually a big difference. And this is a part we have to invest in a lot. Even companies in remote Asia are moving to safer countries where more stability exists. The diaspora, which is a good sponsor of the country, must also be exploited. But to be their promotors, there must be conditions for them. We have to work to have political stability. Within a period of less than two years where Kosovo changes three governments and we are a unstable political country”, Rukiqi concluded.