Subtitles by sdl Media

Despite the remarks, economic interests are seeking from the Kosovo Assembly, as soon as they consider and adopt the draft economic recovery law.

Viewing the huge difficulties business and workers are facing, they have also said it would be a great shame for MPs to go to summer break without completing this bill as a whole.

Kosovo's Afarism Oda board Chairman(OAK) Skender Krasniqi has told Kosovo Press that the biggest disaster is that the country's institutions have not reacted to the consequences caused by pandemic to businesses, as most other countries reacted.

Chairman Krasniqi has said that neither the government nor the assembly have the will to support businesses and citizens.

Kosovo, instead of reacting quickly over the past few months, is continuing with a slowdown from the beginning so far to fail to come up with business and citizens. Nearly five months since the beginning of the pandemic, business has not received a single cent support for covering operational spending, and they have not been given the opportunity to obtain loans with lower interest rates, has not been supported by a private sector worker. Only a total of 170 euros have been released so far, not all. So we're talking about five months, while income is only for one month. And even rents are only one piece covered. We wouldn't want it to come down to them (the rest of the deputies), we wouldn't want the state to collapse with a drop in revenues. We would like to have better co-operation, for the government and parliament, as well as political parties to reflect in line with the situation, because we have an extremely bad situation”, Krasniqi says.

In addition, Krasniqi has also cautioned with the measures of the draft economic recovery bill, which he expects the OAK and business requirements to be taken into account during the review in the Assembly. As it adds that ignoring businesses in these requirements could reflect on a greater increase in unemployment, reduced revenues for the state, and in destroying many businesses.

“Practically we are disappointed with the measures the government will take with this bill because much of our requests are not included. Our demands have been that the tourism VAT, for agro-business, hotel and low food at 5 per cent. Likewise, our demands have been for local production to be subsidised during the cash buyout. Our demands have been that the export business be subsidised by 10 percent, and there are other demands for support for salaries that are not pre-emptive... Our demands have not yet been detailed with this bill, and it is far from the demands of business, in which we are also delayed. We will also send these requests to parliament and MPs and they will change those requirements in accordance with the interests of citizens and business... Ignoring business in these requirements will reflect on a greater increase in unemployment, reducing revenues for the state, and destroying many businesses, and bankruptcy and economics that will reflect also on increasing the discontent of our citizens”, he says.

Even the director of the American Chamber of Economics, Arian Zeka, has said of Kosovo Press, that Kosovo institutions have been severely delayed in the approval of the company's package of support even for employees hit by Covid-19, while saying that other countries in the region have even approved third packages for state intervention in support of the economy, in the first order of the private sector, which is the most hit after the Covidavi 19.

Despite delays, however, we have welcomed the approval of the draft law on economic recovery. Both the American Economic Age and before the adoption of the bill for several months of the pandemic explosion, we have offered our recommendations, but we have also had specific comments following the draft of the bill, which we have submitted to the government, we will see whether it has been taken into account in this version that has already been prosecuted by the Parliament Government and I believe that other comments that businesses may have, we will also be able to address in the public discussion phase in the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo. It is important to act quickly, it is important that the dynamics of review on the part of the relevant parliamentary Commission be quick”, Zeka says.

While the chairman of the Kosovo Economic Ode, Berat Rukiqi says of KosovaPress, that many businesses have been forced to leave the market due to the major consequences caused by Covid-19.

Rukiqi has asked the Assembly to consider the package bill for economic recovery as soon as possible, and MPs not go on vacation because it would be a great shame.

Moving on without providing the country with a basis for economic recovery would be a great shame... The consequences are only present, this delay in supporting the state for businesses, for the private sector, has already created conditions for some of them to leave the market, and some of the jobs lost because it is difficult to keep without direct support, without access to finance in the banking system, and without having this prospect of increasing purchasing power. All of this has contributed to business circulation being at such a level that they will enable the operation further with full capacity, and this is usually followed by the removal of a number of workers”, Rukiqi says.

Meanwhile, the Kosovo Assembly has not confirmed for Kosova Prees, when MPs will go on vacation, until in past experiences the election holiday has always been in August.

Otherwise, on July 22nd, the Government of Kosovo has adopted and prosecuted the package bill for economic recovery in the country, and by this bill, too, the withdrawal of 10 per cent of the Trust's tax-free means is not pre-emptive.