This year, for six months Albin Kurti's incumbent government spent about $20 million on travel, telephones and oil.

About 20m euros in expenditures for the first six months of this year. This is the balance of Kosovo institutions' budget expenditures only for travel, telecommunications and oil derivatives.

Such astronomical spending, mainly for luxury, is taking place until the task of Kosovo government chief is Albin Kurti, although the latter years ago was critical of former rulers of such luxury expenditures, though with his coming to power only that such expenditures have increased.

According to this year's 6-month budget report, which owns the FrontOnline portal, travel expenses for the January-June period of this year have reached 5.36m euros and are for 2% cheaper than in the same period last year.

Telecommunications spending for this 6-month period has reached about 2.65m euros, while the peak of expenditures has been reached with oil derivatives, for which no less than 11.35m euros have been paid for the January-June 2025 period alone.

These figures have sparked sharp reactions from MPs and economic experts who have criticised Government for lack of transparency and for increasing luxury spending at a time when citizens are facing economic difficulties. According to them, this is clear evidence that current power has abandoned the promise of clean-handed governance.

Luxury spending for January-June 2025

Travel Expenses

5.36m euros (Janar-Qersor 2025)

Telecommunications Expenses

2.23m euros

Fixed Phone Expenses

0.41m euros

Derivets

11.35m euros.

Ferat Shala: The government, Kurti, is robbing the budget, spending luxury from a power without legitimacy

Democratic Party of Kosovo MP Ferat Shala in a proposal for FrontOnline has accused the government of misusing public money, calling it a concern to raise budget expenditures only for luxury, in a period when the government is on the run, and part of the government cabinet functions without a confirmed mandate.

It is true that Kurti's government has abused and continues to abuse public money by increasing the standard and using every opportunity to defraud the budget, Shala has declared for FrontOnline.

According to him, the vast majority of these expenditures are not only unnecessary but also legitimate, for some executive has no complete mandate

The overwhelming share of this 6 month's spending is illegal and not legitimate because this government is in progress and is a part of the ministers and government cabinet are even without a confirmed mandate from local relevant courts”, he said.

Hakki Shatri: The government used to criticize other governments' expenses now becoming sweet

Reaction to large expenditures has also been made by former Finance Minister Haki Shatri, who has stressed that the current government has turned to the opposite of what it once preached.

The government Kurti has been critical of government spending now you enjoy doing these jobs and getting this job sweet, said former Minister for FrontOnline.

He estimates that, over the past four years, spending on derivatives, official travel and unwarranted government privileges has increased.

Shatri points out that the latest data, according to which some 20m euros have been spent in just six months on travel, telecommunications, and derivatives, is the continuation of an entrenched practice within that power.

He considers such behavior irresponsible and harmful to the state, especially at a time when citizens face economic difficulties.

For the past 4 years, about 5 million have increased costs for derivatives, official trips and government luxury. Now the new notes for six months are a continuation of the practice this government is exercising that is extremely disturbing and harmful and non-human, because of its economic level, Shatri said.

According to Schitr, this clearly shows that this government views itself, not as citizens' maids, but as state owners.

This government, in a heartless way, spends it because I think they're the owner of the state, not that they came to rule as the law predicts, ended up Shatri.

Bellaqa: Millions of expenses, the consequence of nonformation of the Assembly and Government

Economics director Jakup Bellaqa, in a proposal for FrontOnline, has noted that spending around 20m euros on travel, telecommunications and derivatives during the first six months of this year are the result of the lack of forming of key institutions, including the new Parliament and Government.

Spending about 20m euros on travel, telecommunications and/or derivatives for the first six months of this year? The result of not forming institutions both in the assembly and not forming the new government, Bellqa said.

He says inefficient management and lack of transparency in state institutions have created spaces for unreasonable and uncontrolled spending. According to him, it is imperative that such expenditures be independently verified by foreign audiences of the state.

Here there is no effective and non-transparent management of institutions, where economic and financial reasonableness will have to be verified, and this issue must be made by the foreign audiences of the state how these costs were made, Bellaqa said./Periscopi/