Kosovo's Committee on Economy, Industry, Entrepreneurship, Trade and Innovation has approved in principle the Draft Law on temporary measures for essential products in specific cases of market destabilization. While committee members from the ruling parties supported the draft law, considering it a way to prevent abuses during crises, opposition MPs described it as market capture.

The deputy chair of the committee from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Janina Ymeri, opposed the draft law and even left the meeting.

The vote on the draft law was also requested by the Minister of Trade, Mimoza Kusari-Lila, who said that the draft aims to protect consumers and the public interest.

She stated that the draft law foresees two types of temporary measures: setting trade margins for wholesale and retail sales, and setting maximum allowed prices by economic operators.

“This draft law aims to clearly define the legal framework for imposing proportional temporary measures on essential products in specific cases of market destabilization, with the goal of protecting consumers and the public interest, as well as establishing a new, independent institutional and procedural mechanism for managing situations arising from significant price fluctuations in the market. During the drafting of this law, the recommendations given in the ruling of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Kosovo regarding the previous law were taken into account, which had been found incompatible with several articles of the Constitution, specifically Articles 7, 10, and 119,” she said.

LDK MP Janina Ymeri stated that the draft law did not go through public consultations, as one version was presented to business chambers while another was submitted to the Assembly.

She also sought clarification from the Minister regarding the independence of the board that would be appointed by the Assembly of Kosovo and report to it regarding the price cap mechanism.

As a concern, she also raised the fact that the law does not define the margin.

“How do you foresee the independence of this board when the Ministry initiates the recruitment and selection procedure and sends five candidates? It says the board itself conducts monitoring, implementation, and methodology, and you have not specified how often it reports. Everything depends on these 5–6 people you select… My concern is that all this intervention in the market depends on a few individuals, and what is important is the independence you have given yourselves with this law… how do you define the margin when the article on margin does not actually address it?” she said.

The Minister of Trade, Mimoza Kusari-Lila, responded by emphasizing that the board selection process is initiated by the Government of Kosovo, but the final decision is made by the Assembly.

The issue of margin-setting was also addressed by the Chair of the Committee on Economy, Rozeta Hajdari, who previously led the Ministry of Trade.

“The margin is not defined in the law; it is a result of the dynamic market process and market analysis. As Minister Kusari-Lila mentioned, Article 110 of the Constitution allows Kosovo to establish regulatory bodies when the state itself cannot regulate the internal market,” she said.

Dissatisfaction with the draft law was also expressed by LDK MP Janina Ymeri, who said she would not vote for laws that aim at market capture.

“My concern is to show how you will work with this board. This has nothing to do with your party—any party bringing this would make me think it is market capture by the governing party. If you bring these proposals, I see the possibility of addressing them in the Assembly, but I will not take part in the vote here. We are in 2026—the time of Albania has long passed—and I will not vote for market capture,” she said.

The Minister of Trade proceeded to respond by saying that “the time of Albania is always.”

A member of the committee from the ruling party, Driton Hyseni, said it is important for Kosovo to have a legal framework that protects citizens from price abuses in cases of destabilization.

He called for understanding from opposition parties regarding the law.

Vetëvendosje Movement MP Valon Ramadani said that strict formulations have been foreseen for the board.