Shahini: Kosovo faces poverty, manufacturing is the most vulnerable sector of the economy

The President of the Alliance for Kosovo Businesses, Agim Shahini, points out that Kosovo is struggling with poverty and that the government has lacked a strategy for economic development. He emphasizes that the construction and banking sectors are currently the most developed, while manufacturing remains the most vulnerable.

“In Kosovo, we have a few sectors that are progressing. The largest investments and circulating capital are in the construction sector. Following that are the financial sector and banks, which are already quite developed, and then services and trade. However, manufacturing remains the weakest sector in Kosovo,” Shahini said.

Speaking about the standard of living for citizens, Shahini cites data from the World Bank, according to which Kosovo is the poorest country in Europe, second only to Ukraine.

“This is a concern for us, and it should also concern the state and the government,” he said.

He assesses that the past four years have not been successful and that the government has not implemented a development strategy.

“A strategy for development, poverty reduction, and attracting foreign investments needs to be created. Last year, we imported goods worth over six billion euros, representing the largest outflow of cash to foreign countries. This indicates that Kosovo had no strategy for its economy or domestic production,” Shahini stated firmly.

Shahini also emphasizes the importance of regional cooperation but notes that Kosovo has suffered significant losses due to European Union measures.

“Regional cooperation is important, especially with CEFTA member countries in the region. However, Kosovo continues to face economic sanctions from the EU, which have lasted for two years, with losses occurring in several areas. Economically and financially, the losses exceed one billion euros. Politically, Kosovo has not been admitted to any international institutions, nor has it received any new recognitions. In diplomacy, we face numerous obstacles from major powers, and Kosovo cannot achieve integration under the current economic sanctions,” Shahini concluded.