Kosovo in economic crisis: Time to Face the Truth

It says: Arianian Koci

The strength and ability of the people of this country are much spoken of in Kosovo. Right: This country has energy, talent, resources and a youth that can build the region's most vibrant economy. But this energy is not activated with optimistic statements or with creative interpretation of statistics.

Human potential with youth as a major pillar is released with political vision, professional knowledge, and an environment where citizens and investors feel protected, respected, and appreciated.

Today, unfortunately, this energy remains shut down, accumulated, and no one is able to release it.

The crisis is real, and the citizen feels it every day.

It does not take high economic expertise to see Kosovo undergo a deep crisis.
Prices go up. Salaries are stuck. Investors are reluctant to come, some are leaving. Young people are abandoning the country at an alarming rate. Businesses are shrinking, production barely exists, exports remain symbolic.

This crisis is not abstract; it feels at the market, at the family table, on monthly bills. And even more serious: There is a lack of hope.

In this situation, efforts are presented to grace reality with interpretations of statistics that serve no one. When truth is replaced by illusions, the orientation of an entire society is lost.

The facts are clear despite propaganda

The public needs to be told the truth: the figures that were circulated in recent days for our economy do not match IMF data. According to World Economic Outlook (April 2025), economic growth was 4.4% for 2017 and is expected to drop to 3.9% this year.

Even these figures, which appear to be <x0-positive”, are insufficient for such a low-based economy. If as a state we aim to catch and out of the neighborhood, if we aim to become a real developed country, our growth should be at least 10% per year and that requires transformation, not rhetoric.

On the other hand, comparisons with Germany are gross; some chose to compare Kosovo with this state through a single growth figure.

Let's not forget: Germany has an economy 420 times larger, GDP per capita eight times higher, and exports 1,500 times larger than Kosovo.

Such a comparison is not an argument. It's cheating.

Our challenge is not statistical. It's structural.

The Kosovo problem is not the 4% increase. The problem is:
We don't have production,
We don't have industry,
We don't export,
We don't have legal security,
We have no political stability,
We don't have policies that promote entrepreneurship and capital.

Moreover, our economy is not creating stable jobs. I'm not raising the standard of living. I'm not stopping the youth exile. And, unfortunately, it is being characterised with the flow or departure of investments from Kosovo.

Instead of illusions, politics must create space for people who can release Kosovo's potential

Kosovo will not develop with the stated potential of politicians. No politician develops the country only with personal ambitions. Kosovo will only progress when our leaders toʹi put the right people in line: professionals, visionarys and incorrigibles who can release, but also stimulate the country's subdued potential.

Hence, such choices should not be a race of promises. Must be team racing. Consistent race. Vision race.

Faith is the currency that lacks Kosovo today

No country moves forward without faith. No reform works without faith. No economy is revived without faith in institutions, justice and the future of the country.

The history of each successful country testifies to a simple thing: Development begins only when the citizen believes it is worth staying.

And today, our greatest challenge is not growth. It's just this: convert the citizen's faith.

Only then does Kosovo start to move forward.