Key Week for the Economic Recovery Bill

Last week, this bill, in the absence of quorum, had failed to be approved by the Commission for Board and Transfer.

Hoti had said a consensus would be reached this week to vote on this bill.

I am also giving the public promise today that the Economic Recovery Bill will be passed next week [this week] and that this issue will be closed, where all issues, and the means citizens will get from their savings. I believe we will reach a broad consensus. The Economic Recovery Bill affects all citizens, all businesses and all families without exception. I have expressed it several times during the discussion that we have had that I am fully open to accept recommendations from all parliamentary groups without exception of”, Hoti had said.

However, the chairman of the Democratic League of Kosovo Parliamentary Group, Arben Gashi, has said he hopes that within this week he will pass the Economic Recovery Bill.

We had meetings with the Parliamentary Group with the chairman and prime minister. We discussed the economic recovery bill issue and are hoping to pass within the week. The priorities were economic recovery and discussions on how to reach a settlement of”, Gashi has said, sends in Telegrafi.

During the recent meeting of the Commission for Board and Transfere, Democratic Party of Kosovo MP Kujtim Gashi had said the government should take into account their recommendations, and if they are taken into account, he said they would vote on the bill.

We are in a very uncaring situation where this Bill has become a daily problem for all Kosovo citizens, with particular emphasis on the business community, and I use this meeting of the Commission to appeal to the ruling parties, the Government, to sit down with our parliamentary group and to take into account the remarks, suggestions and recommendations of the PDK Parliamentary Group. As those recommendations are taken into account The PDK, with its 24 votes, will back the Economic Regeneration Bill”, Gashi had said, submits Telegrafi.

On the other hand, Democratic League of Kosovo MP Fatmir Rexhepi has said that, they express readiness to sit down and talk with opposition parties to find a solution in terms of the draft law.

I agree that it's the last seconds we're being called together, I totally agree that I talked to Bedri that day who's not here, and I've been praying that day what we can do not give a political overtontion to that part, but to do only the part of the economic interest within the Bill of Law and do better. I agree that if this meeting is organised and it is good to give a boost to the prime minister. He had to come to us for talks”, he said.

And the Vetevendosje Movement says it is the government's duty to have the votes for adopting the Bill.

“Vetevendosje Movement despite the fact that it considers this government illegal, in the past has supported legal initiatives, international agreements in the service of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, and not only, for which opposition support has been necessary since voting international agreements requires the support of 80 and more MPs. For any failure of the other legal initiative requiring the simple majority for approval -- that is, voter turnout of 61 MPs -- what corresponds to the minimum parliamentary majority of the ruling coalition -- must be placed before responsibility, not the ruling coalition, not the opposition LV, respectively. This is the basic principle in parliamentary democracy and the Government's report with the Parliament. Since the first day of the establishment of this government, it has been unable to testify to the majority necessary to complete its governing programme, as it is unable to approve its legal initiatives like this for economic measures. It is the Government's duty to have the minimum parliamentary majority at all times, so 61 votes -- not just in the day of its formation” -- had told LVV spokesman Pergry Kryeziu of Telegraphy.

At the beginning of November, the extraordinary Assembly session had failed, where it was prior to cast a second reading vote on this bill. The hearing had failed without quorum.

Otherwise, on October 12th, after six failures, the Kosovo Assembly, with 64 votes for, no against and no abstention, had voted in the first reading of this Bill.

If the bill provides the necessary votes in the second reading as well, the Speaker of the Assembly signs it and sends it to the president to declare it. Meanwhile, the president has eight days to announce or return it to the Assembly for review.

In the provisions of this bill is the fulfillment and change of several laws, with the aim of restoring Kosovo's economy after the negative effects caused by the pandemic COVID-19. This will remain in force until 31.12.2021. After that date, all provisions of this Law will automatically be abolished.

By means of this bill, the implementation of the amount of economic recovery Pack worth 365m euros is provided.