Besnik Bislimi announced a reduction in unemployment, but the ministry he runs had predicted quite something else

In the mid-term expenditure Framework for 2021-23, published by the Ministry of Finance, which holds the April 2020 drafting date, among other things, includes employment targets.

The medium-term spending framework 2021-23 presents the document on which the Annual Budget will be drafted for 2021.

Unlike the current minister of finance's statement, Besnik Beslim, for employment, this framework expects the situation in Kosovo to be exacerbated due to the loss of jobs.

“The employment in the private sector is expected to deteriorate as a result of job loss, especially in those sectors that are directly influenced by this crisis (the retail, transport sector), etc)”, the KAS says.

The main purpose of this document, drafted by the MF, is to provide an analysis that reflects the macroeconomic environment in the country, thus setting the basis for budgetary planning for years to come in line with the government's strategic priorities.

When Bislimi clarified the statistics behind records for the government-designed Emergency Pack for helping businesses because of pandemic, he said they show how unemployment has fallen as never before in Kosovo.

The shift between young people and those who have lost their jobs caused the number of unemployed in just one month to drop by 6.6%, which represents the largest drop in the last 20 years. This, if taken as the only change in this period, means that the rate of official unemployment (still underrated) would drop to the level of 24.1%<1>, the minister of Bisilim had written.

Bislim's statement prompted numerous reactions last week, with most of which the minister personally received his Facebook profile.

By Bislem's statement, it was ironic enough to say that he deserved the Nobel Prize for Economics, as he was talking about lowering unemployment when world media reported on powerful countries like the United States were facing millions of lost jobs.

When he countered the criticisms of former Vetevendosje Movement Chairman Visar Ymer and KIPRED chief Lulzim Peci, he said his statement on unemployment was misconception.

He split a sentence to clarify that he did not imply that unemployment has fallen in time of pandemic, but was thinking of formalising employment that, according to him, is becoming the result of Emergency Pacos.

This does not claim that unemployment in Kosovo has been reduced thanks to pandemic, far away. It would be terrible if someone with elementary schooling thought as you thought. This sentence, along with the rest of the statistics reporting, implies that the situation created as a result of the COVIID 19 pandemic and the way of designing the emergency package, have created the proper ground for the forms of those who for years have considered it vulnerable (in large measure thanks to policies that you have been part of) operating outside legal frameworks. Mr. Peci, and certainly none of the others should be afraid or worried about formalising the economy”, said the finance minister's response.

In his first draft on the unemployment issue, Bislimi wrote that since 1999, the unemployment rate in Kosovo has never been lower than 24.5%, what it has now achieved.

The Social Democrat Party at the end of last week held an event, before the Government, which was based on the statement by Government Minister Kurti. According to this party, the Nobel Prize for Economics now must be named “Besnik Bislimi”. /Gazzetaexpress/