Businesses did not receive money promised by Kurti Government during pandemic

The emergency fiscal package, worth about 180m euros, meant to ease economic and social problems has not yet managed to spread to businesses and workers.

This package was approved in March by the Kurti Government for the emergency needs of citizens and businesses.

Some of the measures were beginning to be implemented, but now after the government's coming led by Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti, the package reportedly cannot be implemented because there are no financial means.

Finance and Transfers Ministry spokesman Muharrem Sahini tells Radio Free Europe that the budget revision is under way and that the funds will be provided with the revised budget.

The revised budget, which is expected to go soon for approval in Government and then in the Assembly, will provide sufficient funds for the full implementation of the emergency fiscal package”, Sahin said.

The reason for delays caused so far about the emergency fiscal package, Sahin says, stems from the fact that some of the commitments have not been involved within budget lines.

He also adds that there have been errors in filling applications made by applicants, and this has increased the volume of the Commission's work on the application review.

“in the revised budget, in addition to financing the fiscal emergency package, will include financing the economic recovery programme, which aims to significantly increase the financing of economic activity in our country. We expect the revised budget to be processed in the Assembly within several days”, Sahin says.

Of about 180m euros of package only 60 million have been allocated

To help businesses and other categories of society affected after the spread of the coronary, the Government of Kosovo, with the proposal of the Ministry of Finance and Transfers, had approved the Fiscal Emergency Pack worth 179.6m euros.

At the Kosovo Assembly session on June 11th, Minister of Finance and Transfers Hykmete Bajrami has indicated that only about 60m euros of emergency package have been spent, since there are no financial means without legal changes and budget revision.

Zeka: Emergency package necessary for the survival of many businesses

Business representatives say there have been numerous complaints coming from business officials about compensations that have had to be made to businesses from the emergency package for workers' salaries and rent.

The executive director of the American Economic Ode in Kosovo, Arian Zeka, told Radio Free Europe that businesses have not received the assistance promised by the emergency fiscal package.

The Challenge of Economic Recovery After Pandemia

He says they do not know whether it is a real plan, but adds that it is encouraging that now the new government has said it will be committed to implementing all measures involved in the fiscal package.

Over the past few days, we have had a large number of business complaints regarding getting compensation for both salaries and rent. The measure involving covering 50 per cent of rent expenditures and had never been implemented on the part of past government”, Zeka says.

He says all should understand and begin implementing emergency package measures, as they are necessary for the survival of many businesses in Kosovo.

While the first fiscal emergency package has not yet been implemented overall, the Kosovo government says it will be in the process for the second fiscal package, which will focus on economic recovery.