The Kosovo Chamber of Commerce gathered representatives of businesses and economic organizations within the Private Sector Forum, calling for concrete government support in drafting policies that directly assist the development of the private sector. The meeting highlighted the importance of institutional stability, coordination with state institutions, and creating a more favorable climate for investment and economic growth, KosovaPress reports.
The President of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce, Lulzim Rafuna, said that the establishment of new institutions and their full functionality is important news for the economy.
According to him, businesses expect concrete support from the government in shaping economic policies, adding that the private sector is ready to be a cooperative partner in the country’s economic development.
“Today we are here with an optimistic view, as our country has now established its new institutions, which means having fully functional institutions is the best news we could have at this moment to move forward. As a forum, we expect and welcome the government’s support in developing economic policies that directly help businesses, and we are here to confirm that we are fully interested in being cooperative partners for the sake of the country’s economic development, with all our expertise and capacities. It should be emphasized that strengthening Kosovo’s economy and ensuring political and legal stability are key to expanding domestic investment and attracting foreign direct investment. This is our best and strongest momentum at the international level to seize opportunities for economic development and further consolidation of the state of Kosovo,” he said.
“However, we are witnessing advancements in reforms in the Western Balkans region and the requirements of the European Union, which also represent a new movement and trend in the global market. We are aware that in order to be part of this trend, it is impossible to achieve success without proper government support and economic diplomacy, as well as coordination and cooperation with all our international friends, partner states that are part of the success story of our state of Kosovo,” he added.
The Executive Director of the German-Kosovo Chamber of Commerce, Besnik Vasolli, said that the aim of creating this forum is to strengthen the voice of the private sector and bring it closer to institutions.
“Our position is very clear: we need to cooperate both with the private sector and with the institutions of our Republic. With state institutions, we need to make policies for each other and not against each other. This is our common stance and the principle that will guide us. As part of this forum, we will strive to act in this spirit,” he said.
The representative of the Slovenian Business Club, Bajram Fusha, said that businesses need broad support from politics, citizens, and international partners.
“The Slovenian Business Chamber is part of this initiative and supports it, considering that Kosovo’s economy and businesses need to be supported, developed, and backed by all of us—by citizens and policymakers. We need to build an entrepreneurial spirit and strengthen it to make it more successful in taking new steps for growth and contributing to the country’s economic development. We know that the country’s economy and revenues depend heavily on business development, therefore we are here to bring our Slovenian experience to Kosovo and use it for successful economic growth. We believe we will always be part of this support,” he said.
Meanwhile, the President of the Kosovo Chamber of Hospitality and Tourism, Hysen Sogojeva, said that participation in this forum allows businesses to better articulate their demands before central and local institutions.“
We, as the Chamber of Hospitality and Tourism of Kosovo, have supported the initiative and are part of this forum because it allows us to better articulate and present our requests to both central and local institutions. The formation of the new government is good news for the business sector I represent, especially with the establishment of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. This gives us the opportunity to better address our requests and possibly achieve our goals. Everything you see regarding tourism development in Kosovo is thanks to the private sector. Therefore, the private sector is the foundation that must be coordinated with state policies to make doing business easier and to make Kosovo as a tourist destination more attractive in the future. It is good news that every year we see growth in the number of tourists. Despite challenges, we have annual growth ranging from 13 to 25 percent,” he said.
