In an editorial for the paper, Enis Veliu remarks how just before the end of mandate, Prime Minister Hashim Thaci has launched an intensive campaign for “economic” development of Kosovo. In this light, he is taking various decisions to allegedly boost economic progress and is meeting businesspeople and makes them all sorts of promises, writes Veliu of PM Thaci.
Most recently, the Government took a decision to declare Mitrovica and Gjakova free economic zones but only few days later, it also extended the same status to Prizren. These moves, according to Veliu, are intended to either win over local power or, in the case of Prizren, retain it.
Although declaring three cities free economic zones represents support for the businesses there, Veliu recalls the project started almost ten years ago for constructing an industrial zone in Drenas. Almost 10 million euros have so far been poured to the project and no objective has yet been achieved, he says.
“Businesses in Kosovo could very well function and develop even without these decisions but they were suffocated by high corruption,” writes Veliu. He adds that businesses in Kosovo continue to face political pressure and blackmail.
