Rama has a request for Government: Don't become a blocker

Pristina Community Chairman Progress Rama has called on the Government not to be “unblocking” in capital investments, but supporting and co-operative.

In an interview for Online Economy, Rama has said that for the capital, the budget is limited. He has said major projects in Pristina are high costs, and for that he has sought public-private partnership.

You know the budget is limited to the capital, so we have a large number of citizens' requests for services to the city, but we have other options. The capital luckily has other opportunities to create co-Investing with investors. In January we presented key projects that the capital needs, such as underground parking lots, bus station, establishment of the Center for Arts and Technology, Old Market, Capital Ring, Olympic Village. These are huge multi-million projects and therefore we need a partnership with the private sector”, Rama has told EO.

Rama has suggested that there are interest from foreign investors in the capital to invest with draft proposals. It requires that the central level be, not blocking, but co-operative for the good of citizens.

We have an interest from serious investors from Switzerland and various countries, but also local investors for major projects which are open to investment with draft proposals. It is a milestone for the capital for the literal transformation of the capital. The central level is just not to be the blocker that we ask of them, to be cooperative because that's for the sake of the local and central level, that's for our country. We don't divide here the central level and the local level should be together next to all these projects and you know that the central level has not seen fit to invest in the capital ring, invested elsewhere”, he requested.

According to him, Pristina should be better treated, “50 per cent of the country's taxes are paid by businesses and citizens of capital”.

I think it's key, vital for the capital to have investments in the capital because the capital is the main engine for developing the entire country. Fifty percent of the country's taxes are paid by businesses and citizens in the capital, for this reason the capital should be treated in another way not as it is unfortunately treated, so secondary or digestive by Government”, the chairman added.

Rama has asked the government to reflect and join this transformative development in the capital.

I beg the Government to reflect and join this transformational development that is taking place in the capital, which is likely to be later distributed throughout the country. Of course, more budgets are needed if the capital grants 50 percent of the central level then the central level, however, that I must give more to the capital. We are seeing that there is interest in local investors, but also those outside investors for key and strategic projects that will transform and prepare us for the future, especially for Mediterranean Games 2030”, Rama added, as he confirmed the candidacy for a term at the head of the capital.

“Of course I did, I said I needed two terms to transform Pristina, anyway I will be in a four-year term in capital”, Rama concluded.