NGOs go against Kurt for political decision on exiles

Non-government organisations have come up against the Kosovo Government's decision to lift border security, or as the “Green Carton” is known, from July 1st to the end of the year.

These organizations have praised this decision as reckless and unreasonable.

Therefore, we see this government decision as reckless and irrational in the social and political context we find ourselves in. Despite the great political power that allows them to make such decisions, the government must be cautious and serious, avoiding the populist and urgent decisions that put Kosovo's state into obligations that in this period should not be priority, taking into account the low economic welfare in the country of”, it is said in the communique.

Otherwise, the Kosovo government, led by Vetevendosje Movement leader Albin Kurti, on the eve of the start of summer holidays, has made a decision to pay the exiles the expenses for security police.

Kurti had paid the same expense to exiles during 2020, as long as he was prime minister, until this year he acted the same, despite the February 14th election campaign he had promised to lift such an obligation for fellow countrymen altogether.

Full communication:

The government of Kosovo has recently issued the 19/16 verdict of the 22.06.2021 deadline for the removal of border security, or as the Green Cardon is known to be”, a service planned to be fully covered by the Government of Kosovo for foreigners coming to Kosovo by the end of 2021. We, downplayed organisations, strongly oppose such a decision by dismissing as unreasonable that Kosovo's budget filled with money of poor taxpayers is used to cover private expenses for private persons' vehicles.

We remind the Government that this decision is clearly a tendency for misappropriating public money through financing from the Republic budget, which in no circumstances is dedicated to subsidising expensive auto responsibility services resulting from the private action of their drivers. Furthermore, the budget is the result of a contribution of a poor majority of citizens, which reflects the obligation for maximum rational spending and only for goals that are necessary and aimed at a public entity of the Republic. Therefore, we appreciate that this expense in this form is completely inexplicable, promotes a model of social inequality where the state intervenes to subsidize the owner of the vehicle that is, in principle, an individual with relatively solid property status, and allows a government behavior that through the clientisation of the subsidy to benefit him from political support. The decision as such promotes a poor pattern of policymaking, as it opens horizons for similar decisions of this nature in the future and the successive government. Such decisions are contrary to economic developmental models, taking into account that beneficiaries are categories such as private persons and the Kosovar Insurance Bureau (BKS), which has a long history of corrupt relations with family members of former rulers. Instead, the Government of Kosovo through the Kosovo Security Bureau must make concrete efforts to put Kosovo into Green Carton, rather than undertake actions that cause luxury spending at the expense of the poor citizens of our Republic.

Therefore, we view this government decision as indiscreet and irrational in the social and political context in which we find ourselves. Despite the great political power that allows them to make such decisions, the Government must be cautious and serious, avoiding the populist and pressing decisions that put Kosovo's state into obligations that in this period should not be priority, taking into account the low economic welfare in the country.

With respect,

Group for Jury and Political Studies (GLPS)

Organisation for Democracy, Anti-Corruption and Dignity, COHU

Pristina Institute for Political Studies (PIPS)

FOL Movement

Institute for Development Policy (INDEP)

Rron Gjinovci