The Executive Director of the Kosovo Manufacturing Club Astrit Panxha, together with the President of Kosovo Chamber of Commerce Safet Gërxhaliu, the Executive Director of the European Investors Council – Shpend Balija, as well as the representative of the German Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo – Fadil Hoxha have met Minister of Finance- Bedri Hamza. The meeting discussed the effects of new fiscal measures for the year 2018, the package for fiscal laws, the new fiscal measures, and the establishment of a working group about the protective tax measures for local manufactures.
Minister Bedri Hamza during the meeting with business representatives thanked them for their cooperation and willingness to implement the new fiscal policy. Hamza handed over to them the concept paper that deals with the legislation reforms that regulate the business field, such as the Law on Property Tax, Corporate Law, Individual Income Tax Act, Excise Customs Code and Tax Administration Law and Procedures.
He also stressed that “We are very pleased with the first effects of the new fiscal measures, it is obvious that they have contributed directly in the increase of productivity of our country, which will certainly result in an increase in exports, this is our goal to develop the private sector as the bearer of the country’s economic development and which affects the reduction of unemployment in our country “.
The business community also expressed respect for the work of the Ministry of Finance that is doing for the development of the private sector, they are very pleased with the first results of the fiscal policies that have been in effect since January the 1st of this year, they also expressed willingness to actively participate in the drafting of tax legislation, incorporating business requirements, updating the provisions of the recent directives and what is more important is that these changes to the laws will represent long-lasting implementation and are also a security measure for foreign investors.
Meanwhile, the executive director of the Kosovo Manufacturing Club, Astrit Panxha, said that there is an attempt to create a better environment for doing business in Kosovo. According to him, the law must be respected to combat the informal economy.
“Do not try to misuse the initiative, because ultimately we cannot put every product as raw material and declare it as such, because it also damages the budget, but at the same time the manufactures, for whom this policy is created, cannot benefit from it. “Panxha said.
Then there will be the establishment of a joint group for reviewing the demands of manufactures for customs protection measures for goods outside CEFTA and the EU, which will not only protect our manufactures from the low prices of these goods but also protect our citizen in terms of health.
Also, representatives of the business community expressed their willingness to fight the informal economy that is severely damaging the economy and business development in Kosovo.