Mimoza Kusari-Lila, Mayor of Gjakova/Djakovica, writes in an opinion piece that the decision of the Kosovo Government to declare the municipality, alongside that of Mitrovica, free trade areas is the best she’s heard in a long while.
The need to creation of a mechanism that would encourage investment has long been discussed in Kosovo, she points out. There were different ideas of the matter as well but no doubt, the recent decision will have a direct impact on increasing investments in Kosovo and creating a better atmosphere in which to do business in.
However, there were concerns raised regarding the decision, one of them being that the decision to select two municipalities would be seen as discrimination towards the rest of municipalities. Some also argued that the decision serves only to “appease someone’s appetite” as part of election campaign.
Kusari-Lila stresses that the entire economy of Kosovo will benefit from the decision and not just Gjakova and Mitrovica while those that call it a part of election campaign, she recalls that the two selected centres were the most industrialised at one point in the region while in the last fifteen years, they experienced a drastic economic setback.
Free trade areas will exceed political interests and government mandates and it will be the citizens of Kosovo that will benefit from them and cherish them in the years to come, assures Kusari-Lila.
