PDK votes the Economic Regeneration Bill on Just a Set

After six failures, this bill in October has managed to be adopted in the first reading.

Eugen Cakoli from the Kosovo Democratic Institute says this bill has remained hostage to political resentment among parties, in particular the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and Vetevendosje (VV).

“The LDK and VV since the government's collapse at the helm with Albin Kurti and the formation of the government with prime minister, Avdullah Hoti, have had highly exacerbated relations and have been rejected on any issue that has needed to be discussed”, Calcoli tells Radio Free Europe.

This bill has also remained hostage to a kind of parliamentary majority arrogance, respectively, to take into account opposition recommendations. None of the recommendations proposed by party MPs has been adopted”, he added.

A bill that is voted for first reading, according to regular procedure, takes at least two weeks to be considered in the functional assembly commissions.

Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti has consistently declared that the draft economic recovery law will be adopted even in second reading, but that so far has not happened.

The adoption of the law, according to Eugen Cakoli, will not happen unless all its issues are laid down at the table of dialogue with opposition parties, especially with the PDK, which has expressed interest in passing this bill, if their recommendations are taken on the basis.

PDK proposals to access bill

The chief of the Democratic Party of Kosovo Parliamentary Group, Bedri Hamza, tells Radio Free Europe that to vote on this bill, the proposals, which the PDK has made.

If you consider some proposals that are rational, your aim and focus on the economy and the health of citizens, we are willing to sit down and talk. If things move in this direction we stand behind this, it remains to be seen”, Hamza says.

In the question of what the PDK's proposals are in relation to this bill, Hamza has not provided details, as, as he says, are issues discussed in parliamentary commissions.

“We have been very constructive, in time made the proposals, there has been no political will to back”, Hamza says.

Political Institutions at Harm of Business

Measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have had negative effects on the country's economy. Business losses are considered to have exceeded over one billion euros, according to Kosovo Tax Administration data.

The chairman of the Kosovo Afarism Oda (OAK), Skender Krasniqi, says that out of political resentment, businesses are suffering.

These resentments are hampering increased citizens' welfare and boosting business and revenues for the state. This shows that the opposition's will to fail governments is much greater than helping business and citizens. The will of governments not to listen to the opposition is also the same, and this has brought the country into this tragic situation”, Krasniqi says.

No quorum to proceed with the bill

The draft law on economic recovery, not only is it not being adopted in the Assembly in the second vote, but reports of parliamentary commissions' recommendations are not adopted on the Board and Transfers Commission, due to lack of quorum.

Commission Chairman for Board and Transfer, Iron Murati, has told Free Europe Radio that there has been no quorum to process this bill so far.

The economic recovery bill has now been in the Commission for Budget and Transfers for weeks, without the commission's recommended report being voted, because it is not being able to create quorum from the ruling coalition to proceed further”, Murati says.

In the process of the November 11th meeting of the Commission for Budget and Transfers published on the website of the Kosovo Assembly site, it is said that after the outcome of the discussions, and on the basis of the outcome of the vote -- by 5 votes for, no counters and no abstentions -- the chairman found that the commission had no quorum for decisionmaking.

MPs reportedly attended the meeting: Iron Murati, Gazmend Abashi, Mimoza Kusari Lila, Ylza Hoti, Shkelzen Hajdini, Fatmir Rexhepi, Fikrim Damka and Veton Berisha.

This bill is failing to get the votes of the Vetvendosje Movement deputies and the Democratic Party of Kosovo.

MP Iron Murati says the votes for this bill must be secured by the ruling coalition. According to him, the “government and government coalition crisis is reflecting on the work of the” Assembly.

Focus of the bill, attracting 10 percent of retirement savings

The purpose of the Economic Recovery Bill is to meet and amend certain laws with the aim of restoring the economy after the negative effects of the pandemic COVID -19.

In this bill, it is said that “Fundi Krenadi Credi Responsor of Kosovo, (FKGK) authorised to issue credit guarantees with percentages of coverings from 50 to 80 percent”.

Also, contributors can attract 10 per cent of pension savings to the Kosovo Pension Savings Fund.

Also, with the aim of economic recovery, the Finance Ministry could extend the tax payment deadline by up to two years from the date of the law's entry into force. The criteria for delaying deadlines are determined by the Ministry of Finance in the Government of Kosovo.

For businesses who fail to pay their tax declaration, no punishment is pronounced, provided the payment is made in the first quarter of 2021.

This bill if it is voted in Kosovo's Parliament even in the second reading and converted into law will remain in force until December 31st, 2021. After that date, all provisions of this law will be automatically abolished.