Rafuna: Tensions are driving potential investors away

The chairman of the Kosovo Chamber of Economics (OEK), Lulzim Rafuna, has declared that tensions in the north damage Kosovo's image in the eyes of potential investors, so it requires more commitment in closing the dialogue with Serbia.

In addition to the lack of foreign investments -- from within serious terms now and many years -- damage caused by the European Union's measures totals 300m euros, Rafuna says in an interview for Online Economy.

We need a lot of it. It is true that we are not well - especially quality - in the sense that it brings in producers that are known not only in Europe but also more widely. So within that they are known internationally, which we had not only brought material goods in the sense of machinery, but would have brought us knowledge and would have served us well to change Kosovo's image and deliver a message to other investors that Kosovo is a stable”, Rafuna says.

“The open issues we have with Serbia, we need to close as soon as possible in the best way possible recognition, with final agreements for mutual recognition -- namely, Serbia recognises us as a state, even in Serbia as a state, as has been the goal of the start of” -- Rafuna said.

Rafuna emphasises that events like those in the country's north repel foreign investors, as Kosovo is represented in international media as unstable and tense states.

“Tensions that occur in Kosovo are certainly not a good message for foreign investors. It is known that the world media, mostly or rarely, releases good news or messages that Kosovo is a country with a very good youth or that Kosovo has a good potential to absorb foreign investments, but usually they present photos when there are tensions, when a road closes, or as we had the case of attacking KFOR soldiers on the part of Serb extremists in the northern part. And a foreign investor, a foreign citizen, he doesn't know what the situation is, what kind of incidents they are, and so some form of reluctance to come to Kosovo”, Rafuna said.

While the damages caused by European Union measures amount to 300m euros. That amount, Rafuna says, goes up for days.

Our request is to the Government of the Republic of Kosovo's government, to get these measures out as soon as possible, that our request is directed to the government to do everything within their capacity, to meet the conditions required to leave these measures as soon as possible, that not only do we not have the ability to absorb the resources, don't absorb projects, projects that are so far according to the information we have about 300 million people, but that goes on growing because new projects come in every month that we can't take that we can't take because of the measures that are <foux>