All measures of the Emergency Fiscal Package to be implemented immediately, including support for exporters

Prishtina, May 20, 2020 – American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo, Kosovo Chamber of Commerce, and the European Investors Council express their concern regarding the negative impact of the restrictive measures in the economic activities intent on combating the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic for all Kosovo enterprises.

All three organizations that represent the interests of the private sector, signatories of this declaration, believe that in order to alleviate the negative effects of the affected enterprises and employees, the acting Government must fully implement as soon as possible all measures in the Emergency Fiscal Package.

AmCham, KCC and EIC stress that due to the restrictive measures within the country and in regional and international supply chains, many manufacturing enterprises in Kosovo are facing many difficulties, while several of them have completely halted their activities. These difficulties are related to the decline in domestic and foreign demand in the case of exporting enterprises. The decline in revenues of these enterprises makes it harder to cover their operative expenses, including here wages, which consequently jeopardizes the reduction of wages for employees or the closure of jobs and also the deepening of the country’s trade deficit.

In order to support exporting enterprises already few in number, the Ministry of Finance and Transfers must immediately begin implementing the measure number 13 to support exporters in Kosovo, for what is required by MEETIESI to urgently start the consultation process with MFT, KIESA, TAK, Customs and Chambers of Commerce to determine the criteria for providing support to exporters from Kosovo, as noted by the operational plan for the implementation of the Emergency Fiscal Package.

Delays in disbursing the sum of 10 million euros to exporters will minimize their potential impact on the economy due to the escalation of damages to these enterprises, which have played a valuable role in the economic development of the country, under the conditions of numerous barriers as well as numerous prejudices they have faced related to the poor image of Kosovo.

Finally, the American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo, Kosovo Chamber of Commerce, and the European Investors Council, reiterating once again the need for swift action, restate their sincere commitment to constructive partnership with the acting Government.