Economic "unification" of Albania and Kosovo
23/03/2014

The Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama, appealed for economic unification between Kosovo and Albania from the town of Peja, in order to break any barrier that still exists between the two countries.

“We don’t have a National Chamber of Commerce to unify the Albanian businesses in Albania and Kosovo, so that it can be a referring point for both governments, and so that it can be the party that dialogues on behalf of all other chambers. It would be a very useful instrument. UEFA and FIFA stop us from making our national football team, but no one stops us for a national team of business. It is only our fault If we don’t do it in order to have success in Albania and Kosovo”, Rama declared.

The Prime Minister declared that very soon both countries will make a mutual evaluation for the customs procedure, turning limits into possibilities, as he said.

“We took the commitment to remove double taxation. We have also decided to eliminate VAT fir books, newspapers and magazines. We will include in the meeting of the Council of Ministers the discussion for removing VAT from steel tubes. By the end of this month, Kosovo and Albania will make a joint evaluation of Customs procedures and it will be public. Four or five days of delays for goods that go from Durres to Prishtina, Peja or Gjakova means that we are 50 years behind”, the Prime Minister declared.

Rama mentioned cooperation in energy, declaring that no time should be lost.

“We have plenty of chances and we will realize soon in order to have a joint institution for buying energy. As for importing, we will import it in time, cheaper and with fewer problems, because corruption will be more difficult if we are both in”, Rama declared.