Today in Prishtina was held the conference named the “Business Environment 2017”, which is organized by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, respectively the KIESA agency, under the small business day’s activities.
Today in Prishtina was held the conference named the “Business Environment 2017”, which is organized by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, respectively the KIESA agency, under the small business day’s activities.
The conference was attended by hundreds of Kosovo and foreign businesses that operates in Kosovo, business associations, representatives of donors international, etc.
Conference opened the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, who in his addressing to attendees said that the Kosovo has made significant economic progress. He added that very soon Kosovo will not be considered as poor a country, but a country with middle incomes based on international measuring parameters of international financial instruments such as IMF, World Bank, etc.
Further, Prime Minister Mustafa emphasized that by improving business environment, fiscal policy and partnership with businesses, Kosovo have had an increment of 4% during 2015 and 2016, which was the highest growth in the region. And for this, he congratulated Kosovar businessman. The Prime Minister added that our products are quite decent in terms of design, packaging and also in terms of quality, and this way they do not remain behind the foreign products. Mr. Mustafa mentioned the numerous improvements that have been achieved in various fields, such as improvement of infrastructure, promotion of legal infrastructure, etc., and emphasized the fact that economic growth is already coming as a result of private sector commercial activities.
He pointed out that the Government of the Republic of Kosovo has increased the budget for capital investments for 50%, and these investments, he said, will be transferred into economic growth to our country. As a result of positive developments, the Prime Minister said that we have a considerable decline in unemployment rate in our country, where from 35% as it was, now is 26%. He also mentioned the positive growth trend of registered businesses in Kosovo, and added that the number of registered businesses within the year in Kosovo compared to the number of those terminated businesses is the highest in the region and beyond, he said. In this regard, he added that in 2016 the number of registered businesses was 10,549, while the number of terminated was only 2.379, comparing to other countries in the region and beyond, Kosovo marked a positive balance on registering of new businesses.
In her speech, Minister of Trade and Industry, Hykmete Bajrami, spoke about the positive changes that have been made so far, for the plans and projects planned for 2017 which will advance further doing business environment and will provide significant economic growth in our country. "The Government has cooperated closely with the business community; improvements that are made are based on your demands made in our daily meetings, and there are only few measures we have taken and which didn’t come by your requests”, Minister Bajram said to businesses.
Further, minister Bajrami said that “Today we are here to confirm that never have been a better business environment in our country”. She stated that there is enough space for all enterprises, but not all of these can succeed. Minister Bajrami further spoked about the work and projects implemented by agencies and departments of the Ministry she heads, and said that all MTI’s organizational units have improved their services towards businesses. She told that we are successfully implementing SAA; we are at the stage of finalizing the private sector strategy, and mentioned a numerous of laws and bylaws which are amended in benefit to the private sector, such as the Law on Bankruptcy, Law on Business Organization, the Law on Strategic Investment, etc.
She said that we are working with high intensity in establishing industrial zones, in products certification with international quality certificates, in promoting Kosovo products through fairs, the promotion of quality infrastructure, increase the efficiency of the market surveillance and consumer protection, as well as many other commitments, which are driving enterprises empowering and economic growth in our country. KIESA’s Agency Director, Besian Mustafa, which agency operates under the MTI, introduced to the participants the activities and trade fair program which will be organized this year.
At the conference were present ministers: Avdullah Hoti, Memli Krasniqi, and Valon Murati, who introduced to the businesses up today achievements and projects that are waiting to implement by their respective ministries during 2017.