Gerxhaliu: Young people are fleeing from Kosovo; hope for the future is lost

Former President of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce Safet Gerxhaliu assessed that Kosovo was facing numerous economic challenges and that the departure of young people showed how people lived, adding that hope for the future in Kosovo had been lost, Ekonomia Online reported.

"What is heard from the Ministry of Finance and the government proves that they provide incorrect data. But, the economic reality in Kosovo is what citizens experience and feel both in the private sector and in the business community. Not what is written on the bulletin board. The fact that we have young people fleeing, that hope for the future in Kosovo may be lost, and that Kosovo has turned into a state from which people are fleeing, is the greatest tragedy that has happened in recent years," Gerxhaliu said.

He stated that without a strong private sector, it was impossible to think about economic recovery, and that it was fortunate that the private sector in Kosovo had made many steps ahead of politics, and if it remained at the mercy of the current government, there would be numerous failures.

He assessed that the more investments there were, the more opportunities there would be for economic recovery and strengthening of the private sector.

"Kosovo needs projects, but those projects and their implementation must be preceded by genuine public-private and current dialogue, whether between the government and opposition or between the central and local levels," he said.

Gerxhaliu stated that partnership with the private sector was completely neglected in the budget allocations for 2024.

"We have no reason to be satisfied with a budget of 3.14 billion euros. It must be understood that Kosovo needs development, and progress in various areas, especially in the economy, education, and economic and political diplomacy. If we analyze the structure of the budget envisaged and approved in parliament, it is much more social than developmental, neglecting partnership with the private sector, and raising the question of how the strengthening of the private sector can be achieved if there are no capital projects oriented towards implementation and where the private sector will be the main driver of implementation," Gerxhaliu said.

As he emphasizes, the budget forecasts for 2024 contain many more wishes and very little room for implementation.