EU measures blow to economy

Important projects that would affect the welfare of citizens have not been accomplished for more than a year. The same amounts to hundreds of millions of euros. That is because of the European Union's restrictive measures towards Kosovo. Economists fear warnings of new measures until they say this would be a blow to the economy.

At the time new measures are being warned against Kosovo -- those taken a year ago by the European Union -- have only damaged the country's economy.

The damages amount to hundreds of millions of euros, and businesses are the ones that were most damaged.

“We have not been able to benefit from the multiple projects the European Commission has provided and various organisations. The value of these projects amounts to up to 300m euros”, says Lulzim Rafuna, chairman of the Kosovo Economic Ode.

However, from the Kosovo Alliance of Business say the value of financial damages could amount to up to 600m euros.

Kosovo's subx0> Exception from various EU funds may amount to loss of about 600m euros, but if we are to sanction further, Kosovo risks being excluded from all financial support mechanisms”, says Agim Sahini, chairman of the Kosovar Business Alliance.

According to field connoisseurs, projects that have been planned with these funds would contribute to infrastructure regulation, sewage treatment and administration reforms.

In addition to financial damage, it is estimated that Kosovo's image before foreign investors has also been damaged.

Restricting financial measures towards Kosovo were imposed by the European Union a year ago because of the situation created in northern Kosovo, although the situation has returned to normality, the measures continue to be in force.

From the EU, during June of this year, they had said there was no full reconciliation of member states for lifting the measures, though they have warned that as compromise, the same would gradually be removed.