8 minutes agoMillions of euros remain blocked by EU measures, troubled opposition that country could be excluded from growth plan
Periskopi(2 years ago)
(2 years ago)The European Union's measures towards Kosovo, imposed a year ago, had negative impact on the country's economy. That is how opposition parties and economic connoisseurs estimate, where some 300m euros are blocked by the EU. As they raise concerns that Kosovo may not even be disbursed by the Development Plan [...]
As they raise concerns that Kosovo may not be reduced either by means of the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.
Regarding which projects the country's economy has been affected and on what more, Kosovas has sent questions to the Ministry of Economy, but the same have not returned to publishing this subject.
Meanwhile, the European Union's high representative for foreign policy and security, Josep Borrell, has recommended two days to me that member states take the stance to lift measures towards Kosovo.
While, the majority expects the measures to be removed and that losses during the 1-year period are only sevenm euros.
Former Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti says 300m euros have been blocked due to the measures. This suggests that another 600m euros that have been lost in daily economic circulation have been blocked.
“As far as projects are blocked by EU measures are around 300m euros... A primary economist understands that when 300m euros are blocked, they block the remaining 300 million or 600 million in daily economic circulation in the country, because that's one of the reasons why we today have record economic growth of the previous governments.
I hope Kosovo will not eventually be excluded from the Western Balkans' growth plan that has the EU, but with this approach we are seeing, it is difficult to see something concrete from the implementation of this plan in Kosovo's case. I regret that today it has not materialised, used EU support from the Government of Kosovo, to continue the highway to the middle, 22km that has been seen as a support for Kosovo, while Serbia is using these funds to continue the highway to the end of”, says Hoti.
The European Union's punitive measures, according to AAK MP Pal Lekaj, have damaged Kosovo economically.
He says the EU should not sanction Kosovo because of a prime minister, as it is citizens of the country.
“It requires a permanent commitment of the government, a co-ordination with the international factor, and in this case with the European Union, because this government has brought these measures for non-co-ordination, neglect to those who have helped us and are investing in Kosovo. That is why this government has brought us sanctions, and the EU should not sanction Kosovo for the sake of a prime minister because it is Kosovo's citizens in question, so the time has come to remove these” measures, Lekaj says.
Meanwhile, Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Skender Krasniqi says punitive measures against Kosovo are affecting the country's economic development.
We lost hundreds of millions last year as a result of EU measures, but even this year we are losing, and we could risk those EU funds that are for the Balkans and may not benefit Kosovo. An increase in government co-operation with our businesses and our allies would influence that we have another situation, whether in inflation reduction, increased employment, increased domestic production and export growth, because we have a huge increase in import, while exports do not have increases compared to import.
These are negatively affecting the country's development and the government should be supporting more local production, citizens, protecting low-income families, because, we should have family baskets and protect families with low incomes. And to have health insurance, job insurance, because business is facing many challenges. It's facing a lack of workers qualified for need, but it's also facing workers as a result of the inability that a citizen can afford this situation. A radical change of laws promised would be needed, such as the law on internal trade, the law on strategic investment, the law on supporting local production”, Krasniqi says.
On the other hand, the deputy from the ruling party, Armend Muja, says that in the sense of EU projects, some sevenm euros may have been infected, while adding that these unfair measures must be removed.
“The government has taken all necessary reform steps to confirm de-pass arrangements. I expect it would be fair for these unfair measures to be lifted in the shortest term. These unjust measures always have a implications. We have after last week a clarification by the EU project understanding office, may have affected about sevenm euros of direct projects. But in terms of foreign direct investments, what we know is only in the Central Bank reports, we have the last quarterly report that says more or less that these investments are slightly at the same level as the first quarter of two years. Of course, these create side effects, but Kosovo has no other path than this road for the extension of domestic sovereignty”, Muja says.
It is learned that in the European Union, there is no full reconciliation for removing the penalties imposed on Kosovo. But as a compromise, these measures are expected to be removed in part and gradually.
