At the virtual meeting of Trade Ministers of the six Western Balkan countries, in the framework of the Sofia Summit it has been discussed about the green economy, the digital agenda and the youth movement.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Vesel Krasniqi said that the Government of Kosovo is committed to promoting green economy policies, clean energy, energy efficiency and environmental protection topics, adding that the development of green economy requires an integrative approach to policy-making including society, the environment and the economy, which is a prerequisite for sustainable economic policies. He added that the transition to a green economy requires a new mentality of doing business, because it requires other types of skills and abilities in the labour market that young people can work in different sectors and be able to work as part of multi-disciplinary teams.
"The Government of Kosovo is considering a reduction or removal of VAT, which would reduce the final cost of installing solar panels for households and the private sector, as well as reduce the return on investment. “Such a measure would revive the sector and increase employment," said Minister Krasniqi.
He also spoke about the possibility of creating a temporary (artificial) market, which can be achieved through investments in projects for Energy Efficiency and RES device (renewable energy sources) for the implementation of solar energy supply in public buildings, such as are schools and hospitals, which would benefit both parties working together to meet the objectives of renewable energy supply, which would contribute to significant savings for the Kosovo budget.
Also, Minister Krasniqi stressed that the development of the private sector and the digital economy have an important role in the economic development of a country and this also applies to Kosovo. "The digital economy opens up many opportunities. “Nowadays, innovation has changed economies and markets by redesigning the relations between suppliers and consumers, thus becoming a key element for growth, innovation and job creation", stressed Krasniqi.
According to the Minister, the Government of Kosovo is working towards keeping up with the times and technological developments, especially in this pandemic period which has sent a signal that the digital economy is the economy of the future, thus we support the Digital Agenda for the Western Balkans.
During this meeting, Minister Krasniqi called on EU representatives to enable the free movement of Kosovo citizens in EU countries and in some of the Western Balkan countries, because the digital economy is not complete if people and especially young people do not move freely.
Finally, the Minister congratulated the CEFTA countries, which have already ratified in their parliaments the Additional Protocol 6, a protocol which, among other things, is implemented and respected in its entirety, where it will offer the region a development perspective.
