14 demands of the AKB for the Kosovo Government and political parties
The Kosovo Business Alliance, on behalf of the business community and consumers, calls on the Government of Kosovo and political parties to enrich the 2021 Economic Recovery Law as well as support and exemption from certain taxes that have an impact on economic development and overcoming the COVID 19 crisis. Chairman Agim Shahini also presented 14 demands by February 14, 2021 for the benefit of businesses, citizens and the Government of Kosovo.
According to the head of the AKB, they are to remove all licensing fees for local producers and processors, as well as to legalize business and individual facilities built without permits by the end of 2021 without penalties.
To unconditionally waive penalties and interest on public debts for businesses and citizens accumulated over years until the end of 2020, such as: ATK, Customs, Property Tax and debts in water supply, waste and electricity. The third is to forgive all public debts for businesses and citizens until the end of 2019, provided that those for 2020 are paid by June 2021. Local governments to waive the municipal tax for businesses, applies to those municipalities that have not waived it so far for the year 2020/21. To waive penalties for unregistered motor vehicles for businesses and citizens for a period of 6 months, this increases traffic safety and creates additional revenue from payments.
ATK and Kosovo Customs, Kosovo municipalities unblock bank accounts for all businesses and citizens who have debts for a period of 6 months, this is a help for all businesses to operate more easily and to give them the opportunity to fulfill their obligations. To exempt and legalize businesses and citizens in connecting to physical infrastructure such as: electricity, sewage, water supply for the year 2021. To exempt all citizens and businesses from paying for the replacement of personal documentation such as: ID cards, driver's licenses, passports and foreign insurance for Diaspora vehicles for the year 2021.
Remove customs duties and VAT for local producers and processors unconditionally for 2021. The tenth demand according to Agim Shaini is to remove customs duties and VAT for protective masks, as this is mandatory for citizens and businesses to wear and maintain them.
Another is to remove the definition of the age of car imports for a period of 6 months, this will enable citizens who do not have the opportunity to buy cars newer than 10 years, but this will also affect the increase in the budget. All Kosovo exporters should be subsidized, as well as the Loan Guarantee Fund should be increased. The Chairman of the AKB indicated that the last or 14th demand is the decentralization (independence) of the Education and Health system in Kosovo.
"These would be relief measures for all businesses and citizens of Kosovo to overcome the milder economic crisis and the Pandemic," said Agim Shahini. According to him, with this, the Government of Kosovo will exceed the supports and subsidies foreseen in the Law on Economic Recovery, so that within this year businesses and citizens will have benefits of over 1 billion euros, and these are all feasible requests without jeopardizing the budget, but in the absence of funds, the Government offers exemptions and facilities for all categories of citizens and businesses without excluding anyone, but these will be measures that will be remembered for a long time as revolutionary facilities for the good of the country.
The head of the AKB added that with this, the Kosovo Government becomes a leader and model in the Balkans and beyond with facilities that offer opportunities to citizens and businesses, helping them in this time of crisis.
