Coronavirus consequences, budget revenues fall and lose 50,000 jobs

Coronavirus, in addition to public health, has hit Kosovo's economy, especially state budget revenues and the loss of jobs, which are about 50,000 so far.

This drop in customs and ATK revenues is expected to continue until the end of the year, and as a consequence of the pandemic will be a major and irreversible blow to many businesses in the country.

Thus, they have assessed economic experts who are calling on the outgoing government to take steps.

Kosovo Tax Administration Director (ATK) Ilir Murtezaj, tells Kosovo Press, that the pandemic has created significant consequences in terms of budget revenues for the month and April.

“We like ATK, from March 20th with the decision of «the finance minister has been extended or extended the deadline for property statements and tax payment until April 30th, and this, even as a result of the choreographer's reactions, has caused us to have a drop in revenues for March about 13.6m euros. As of January 1st through March 18th, we as ATK have had further progress, marking an increase in revenues. Meanwhile, even for April, there is a steadily declining pace of not paying tax obligations and seeing until the end of April what the consequences will be in terms of not fulfilling tax obligations”, Murtesaj claims.

While the chairman of the Kosovo Council of Afarism(OAK), Skender Krasniqi, says the pandemic, besides budgetary revenues, will also cause the loss of large-scale jobs.

According to Krasniqi, unless institutional support for the country occurs, there will be budget deficits by the end of the year.

If you don't support business, state revenues will be smaller extremes, we'll also have a much larger employment decrease. Only now can it be estimated that we have about 50,000 lost places. If you don't intervene the state with an injection, these job losses will be even greater”, Krasniqi declares.

Former Economy and Finance Minister Haki Shatri says of Kosova Prees, that the consequences of pandemic will be a major and irreversible blow to many businesses.

Shatri claims that by the end of the year, revenues planned by Dogan and ATK will not be realised.

Subsequently, the revenues will have a very large discount, not only in the months that this pandemic lasts, but even in the months following, by the end of the year, and the initial revenues cannot be realised. However, even some expenses that have been budgeted for this year will certainly not be necessary to realise, it is about the category of goods and services, which are budgeted in conditions where the state system generally works”, Sari claims.

While the recently outgoing Government has adopted a series of decisions, among them is a second review of <x0).

And finally, the 3rd point of this decision meets the preliminary decision for the approval of the Emergency Pack, providing 300-euro financial support to the medical and supportive staff; that is, besides doctors and nurses who meet criteria according to the 6th measure, beneficiary of the Fiscal Emergency Package, will be other staff exposed to the risk of direct contact with patients.