Albanian 
Prishtina, March 30, 2023 – The American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo, in cooperation with the USAID Commercial Justice Activity, for the fifth year in a row, has conducted the Corruption Perception Study in Kosovo. This study serves as a benchmark for measuring the progress made in the country in the ongoing fight against corruption and the perception of the private sector toward this negative phenomenon.
While presenting the findings from this study, Chris Thompson, Chief of the Party of the USAID Commercial Justice Activity, said that in Kosovo, during the last years, there has been an improvement in the reduced level of corruption in the courts, but nevertheless, the anti-corruption activity must be continued even in other state institutions. He said that the program he leads views the increase in effectiveness and transparency in the work of the courts as a priority. He also added that the automation of processes would be a very powerful and effective tool in reducing corruption in Kosovo.
The Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo, Arian Zeka, said that according to the responses from the correspondents of this study, there are improvable results in terms of corruption. Elaborating on the results of the survey for this study, Zeka said that there is a positive indicator of the government’s commitment to fighting corruption and that there is also an increasing trend since last year of businesses’ optimism regarding this issue. Further, he added that TAK had stood well in recent years in terms of corruption perception. Zeka also said that the weak rule of law and the lack of proper implementation of the legal framework remain a constant factor in the rise of corruption in the country.
Nertila Latifi-Balaj from the USAID Commercial Justice Activity broke down some of the findings of the study which say that the Kosovo Police is viewed by businesses as one of the most reliable and effective legislative institutions in the fight against corruption, followed by the prosecution and the courts. Further, she added that auditing, accounting, sales, and placement of material in the market are seen as the most corrupt in the country.
Ilir Murtezaj, the General Director of the Tax Administration of Kosovo, said that in recent years the institution he leads had made positive progress in increasing transparency and reducing corruption. He also added that proper measures are being taken continuously to create and implement the necessary legal framework, while the approval of the Anti-Corruption Plan and obligating inspectors to declare their assets are the tools that are improving the activity of TAK. He also said that this plan foresees the increased cooperation of law enforcement bodies such as the police, the prosecutor’s office, and the courts.