Kosovo in economic isolation”, Mustafa criticises Kurti Government for failure in the economy

Democratic League of Kosovo MP Besian Mustafa criticises the current government for as it emphasises failures in the area of the economy and management of local and foreign investments. He has stressed that 99 percent of Kurt government promises have not been realised, naming this period a “total punishment”.

He even expresses satisfaction that development banks and the Sovereign Fund have not been functional.

Mustafa stressed that the current government from political subject Vetevendosje has failed to create opportunities for private sector development, introducing Kosovo in a period of economic isolation with measures imposed by the European Union.

LDK MP candidate Mustafa adds that with the LDK's victory in the February 9th elections, the next government will support long-term economic growth and improved conditions for Kosovo businesses.

As for foreign investments, the candidate for deputy from the LDK, Mustafa has stressed that there have been no key investment projects from serious international companies during current governance.

In an interview for Kosovo Press, he says there are zero major investments from foreign investors.

“Not half of the promises, 99 percent of the promises of this government have not been realized, is a total failure. Development Bank and Sovereign Fund I'm glad they failed. This is a government that could not manage those institutions in the right way. I think those two institutions should not even exist because they would centralise control of the economic sector into the hands of 10 or 15 people, one which even the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo denies, does not allow, because it says it is free market economy. Therefore, we should not have the entire Kosovo economy dominated and controlled by 10 or 15 people.

And we're also witnessing that in terms of foreign investments, those huge majority go to the purchase of residences, locals from our exile. While investment projects from serious foreign companies have not had any single ones in these four years. There have been trumpetings, reshuffles of agencies within the government, within the executive, but the result is zero”, Mustafa points out.

It also speaks of business challenges, which it adds that this government instead of opening new routes to export products and services, “has isolated Kosovo, and with them Kosovo products and exports”.

“I see that there are damaged (businesss) in any conversation you can have with the private sector in the Republic of Kosovo, you will only accept complaints and statements of failure or of sending the private sector into failure by this government. There is no reform, no progress on the plains of supporting Kosovo companies to produce, export, products, services, no single advantage. In fact, there is aggression, because this is the only government in the entire modern history of the Republic of Kosovo, which has measures from the EU. There are only two countries on the European continent that have measures -- Kosovo and Belarus -- Russia's ally. In these isolation measures, of course, Kosovo companies are unable to produce and export their products and services. So this government, instead of opening up new paths to export products and services, has isolated Kosovo, and along with them Kosovo products and exports”, Mustafa adds.

While underlining that if the LDK wins elections on February 9th 2025, it will focus on the country's economic development, promising a government that will support long-term economic growth and improve conditions for Kosovo businesses.

“The LDK in this campaign is working hard to be the first party and to lead Kosovo Government in the next four-year term, not for any other reason, but to realise our programme, called the new “for Kosovo”. A program with an essential part of economic development.

So we're starting with energy, a gas plant in capacity of 500 megawatts worth 500 million euros. Why thermal power plant or gas plant? Because gas will be imported from America through Greece and Macedonia -- in addition to the economic aspect -- there is also the geopolitical and strategic aspect of the Kosovo-American partnership and beyond, and the increasing economic impact of Kosovo in the Balkan region to then continue to the Fund, worth 120m euros, where there will be trained 40 thousand young people to be trained in software programming and development, and a host of other measures in terms of infrastructure, the completion of key axiss, so Pristina-Podov, Pristina, Pristina-Pristina, Pristina-Pristina, Pristina, Pristina. Also on the health level, a new Kosovo hospital will take place in Pristina, and other projects, capital projects to generate economic growth”, Mustafa underlined.

Mustafa at the end says this government has failed to realise capital projects. Parliamentary elections in Kosovo are held on February 9th this year.