GDP: An estimated 18,000 businesses have closed in the past four years

A research by the Kosovo Alliance of Business has found that during the four-year period, about 18 thousand businesses have closed in Kosovo and that 20 thousand workers have been laid off. Although ATK data points to over six thousand closed businesses, Alliance of Business Chairman Agim Sahini says this is the real number of closed businesses.

In the past four years, about 18 thousand businesses have been closed and some 20,000 workers have been laid off, according to a research by the Kosovo Alliance of Business. Its chairman, Agim Sahini, said this is the real number of closed businesses, although officially the number is lower.

It turns out we've officially closed about 633 businesses officially in the past four years. These businesses have operated over the years and allegedly had about three employees, which in total turns out that about 20 thousand workers have remained”, he said.

Sahin has expressed concern that the closing procedures are heavy, so he has demanded that Government facilitate these procedures so that the data can be accurate.

While publishing a study on entrepreneurship and employment trends in Kosovo, Sahin also talked about open businesses during the January 2020-2024 period.

If we talk about open businesses within the past four years, about 42 thousand and 957 businesses of different sectors have opened in Kosovo. These businesses are supposed to have employed about 55 thousand and 440 workers, on average 1.3 of the workforce”, Sahin said further.

Kosovo Tax Administration until July of this year has registered 128 thousand and 177 businesses.