The Minister of Industry, Entrepreneurship, Trade, and Innovation, Mimoza Kusari-Lila, participated in the panel of Economy Ministers organized within the framework of the Berlin Process in Budva, Montenegro.
The ministerial panel which was also attended by Nik Gjeloshaj, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development of Montenegro (the country currently chairing the Berlin Process), and Besart Durmishi, Minister of Economy and Labour of North Macedonia—focused on the region’s economic integration and the acceleration of reforms for the Common Regional Market.
In her address, Minister Kusari-Lila emphasized that the success of regional integration should not be measured solely by agreements or pledges, but by concrete results for businesses and citizens—including the reduction of non-tariff barriers, the simplification and digitalization of procedures, and easier access to regional markets.
In this regard, she highlighted the potential Kosovo has to offer, including a young and adaptable workforce, a growing information and communication technology sector, and innovative companies. Linking these capacities with the production, industrial, and logistical potential of countries in the region, according to her, creates new opportunities for cooperation and enhances business competitiveness in international markets.
Minister Kusari-Lila underscored the importance of digital integration and the mobility of talent, including the recognition of qualifications, the facilitation of professional mobility, and the digitalization of procedures. She also emphasized that listening directly to businesses is essential for identifying and addressing the barriers affecting their operations.
According to Minister Kusari-Lila, reforms in Kosovo must align with the Common Regional Market, the Growth Plan, and the European Union accession process.
She highlighted that each of the six Western Balkan economies possesses its own potential and that connecting these capacities can contribute to creating a more functional regional market and more competitive economies.
In this context, the objective is for the facilitation of doing business across the Western Balkans through simpler procedures, lower costs, and faster processes to yield concrete results for businesses and citizens and to contribute to the region’s path towards Europe.
