The political crisis that has blocked the functioning of the Assembly of Kosovo is pushing the country toward a budgetary crisis.
The failure to revise the 2025 budget risks leaving projects unfunded, while the preparation of the 2026 budget may fail if the political situation is not resolved soon, reports KosovaPress.
Kosovo has yet to establish new institutions, despite parliamentary elections having been held on February 9.
Former Minister of Finance, Haki Shatri, told KosovaPress that Kosovo risks entering 2026 without an approved budget, due to the lack of functioning institutions and a prolonged political deadlock.
In an interview for KosovaPress, Shatri said that the legal deadlines for preparing the 2026 budget are approaching, but there are no signs that anyone from the Government or Assembly — the bodies responsible for approving the budget — is working on it.
According to him, the lack of institutional functionality has directly influenced the stagnation of economic development, budget implementation, and the worsening of citizens’ well-being.
Shatri emphasized that 2025 is already a lost year due to the institutional crisis and the political class focusing on internal disputes.
He also spoke about electricity prices, which he said have negatively affected citizens’ living standards and business operating costs.
Shatri also criticizes the acting government for its treatment of businesses, stating that the business climate has worsened.
In November 2024, the Assembly of Kosovo approved the draft budget of 3.6 billion euros for the year 2025. Meanwhile, the budget for 2024 was valued at 3 billion and 314 million euros.
The Government of Kosovo is obligated to review the Law on Budget every year, but so far it remains unclear whether this will happen for the year 2025, given that the Government is currently acting in a caretaker capacity. We recall that Vetëvendosje, Guxo, and Alternativa have failed in previous sessions to secure the votes needed for the Speaker of the Assembly.
