Zeka: Kosovo should accelerate reforms and investment; strategic partnership with US linked to commitments toward minorities

Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Pristina Arian Zeka said that Kosovo should accelerate legislative reforms in line with European Union requirements, increase public investment and develop energy capacity in order to create conditions for economic growth and attract investors, stressing that strengthening the strategic partnership with the United States remained linked to Kosovo’s fulfillment of its commitments toward minority communities.

In an interview with Kosova Press, Zeka said that the fact that institutions had been dysfunctional in previous years had resulted in many tasks and obligations remaining unfulfilled.

“Given that we aspire to membership in Euro-Atlantic structures, the European Union and NATO, I believe that continuing legislative reform in line with EU requirements, including those relating to the Union’s financial instruments, must be the number one priority. Over the past two or three years, we have not managed to benefit sufficiently from those instruments,” Zeka said.

He added that increasing public investment should also be among the priorities, but that such progress was currently not evident.

“Unfortunately, we do not see that happening. News from the past few days has pointed in the opposite direction, namely to a reduction in the capital investment budget in favor of other programs, including social schemes, which do not have an adequate multiplier effect on the country’s economy,” Zeka said.

Speaking about measures that should be at the forefront of the government’s efforts to stimulate economic development, Zeka emphasized the importance of developing energy capacity and improving technological infrastructure.

“If, as a country, we want to attract investors in data processing and storage facilities, known as data centers, then a stable electricity supply is essential,” Zeka said.

Turning to relations between Kosovo and the United States, Zeka assessed that they were falling short of expectations.

He recalled a statement by a US State Department representative several weeks ago that further discussions on the Kosovo-US strategic partnership depended on Pristina fulfilling its commitments toward minority communities.

“There is a clear path and a clear requirement from the US administration regarding what Kosovo needs to do in order for our partnership to move to a higher level, such as we already see in the United States’ relations with some neighboring Western Balkan countries,” Zeka stressed.