Changing fiscal policies, establishing factories, reducing requirements for the import of goods, more favorable policies for foreign investments and finding stimulating measures for production, are considered to be among the main steps that must be taken in order to increase the value of export and decrease the value of the import of goods in Kosovo.

In the latest report on foreign trade in goods in Kosovo, published by the Kosovo Agency of Statistics, it is stated that the export of goods in December 2023 was worth 65.4 million euros, whereas the import was 543.1 million euros, which is a decrease of 9.3 percent of export, as well as an increase of 4.1 percent for import, compared to the same period of 2022.

Economy experts say that the drop in the export of goods may be the result of the drop in demand in the export countries or the level of competitiveness of local products, against international competition.

The President of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce, Lulzim Rafuna, considers the fact of the declining export trend and the rising import of goods in Kosovo to be worrying, adding that this situation must be dealt with urgently and see where there is stagnation.

Rafuna, in a statement for KosovaPress, said that there are some measures that must be taken in order to change the situation, for which he says that this issue is the "exclusive competence" of the Government of Kosovo.

Among other things, Rafuna emphasized that Kosovo mostly imports products for wide consumption, including food and textiles. Until he added that the wood and food processing industries dominate the export.

Rafuna says that plastic is also in growing demand for export.

Meanwhile, the program director at the Riinvest Institute, Visar Vokrri, told KosovaPress that the drop in exports could be a result of the drop in demand in export countries or the level of competitiveness of local products, against international competition.

Vokrri emphasized that the trade deficit is only deepening, for which he said that the increase in the value of raw materials or the cost of labor can also affect this.

Vokrri emphasized that there is still room to improve the climate of doing business in Kosovo. He added that among the steps that must be taken to change the situation are the activation of a part of the workforce, the change of fiscal policies and the greater promotion of businesses that export.

In a report published by the Kosovo Agency of Statistics, it is said that the data show a higher trade deficit of 6.3 percent in December 2023, compared to the same period of 2022, namely in the amount of 477.7 million euros compared to the deficit of 449.5 million euros in 2022. Whereas export covers import by 12 percent.

Regarding these data, the Democratic League of Kosovo also reacted through a press conference, criticizing the current government for incompetent management.

The member of the LDK leadership, Berat Rukiqi, has said that there has never been a 56.5 percent increase in the trade deficit within a period of three years. He added that from 2022 to 2023, the export in Kosovo has fallen by 101 million euros. /Z. Zeneli/