Prishtinë, 21 nëntor 2024
Kryeministri i Republikës së Kosovës, Albin Kurti, mori pjesë në forumin Ekonomik Zvicër-Kosovë 2024, ku ishte i ftuar për fjalë hyrëse të forumit.
Duke qenë se Kosova dhe Zvicra kanë një partneritet të fortë, kulturor e politik, kryeministri Kurti në fillim të fjalës së tij tha se është e natyrshme që kjo lidhje forcohet ekonomikisht çdo ditë, ndërkaq falënderoi të gjithë ata që punojnë në këtë drejtim.
“Ne jemi të bekuar me këtë partneritet, ose më mirë, me këtë miqësi të vërtetë. Ndaj më vjen mirë që ky forum na ofron mundësinë për të thelluar këtë partneritet, veçanërisht në fushën e tregtisë, investimeve dhe inovacionit teknologjik”, veçoi kryeministri, teksa theksoi se për Kosovën Zvicra është destinacioni i pestë më i madh i eksporteve dhe në vitin 2022 për herë të parë kemi shënuar bilanc pozitiv tregtar me Zvicrën duke eksportuar mallra në vlerë prej 64 milionë euro dhe importuar mallra në vlerë prej 39 milionë euro.
Kryeministri Kurti tha se jemi të përkushtuar për të krijuar një mjedis biznesi që tërheq investime dhe nxit një rritje të qëndrueshme.
“Së bashku, le të hapim rrugën për një partneritet më të fortë dhe më të begatë ndërmjet Kosovës dhe Zvicrës”, tha ai në përfundim të fjalës së tij.
Fjala e plotë në gjuhën angleze e kryeministrit Kurti:
Your Excellency, Swiss Ambassador to the Republic of Kosova, Mr. Sprecher,
Your Excellency, Kosova Ambassador to the Swiss Confederation, Mr. Latifi,
Dear Mr. Fikret Murati, Founder and President of the Swiss-Kosovar Economic Chamber,
Dear Managing Director of the Swiss-Kosovar Economic Chamber, Mr. Vigan Disha,
Dear Honorable Guests from Switzerland,
Dear Friends and Colleagues from Kosova,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a pleasure to be here today together with you at the Swiss-Kosovar Economic Forum 2024, or, in more practical words, at this platform of opportunity and collaboration.
As Kosova and Switzerland have a strong partnership—be it culturally or politically—it comes as naturally as can be that this bond grows stronger economically each day. This is not only, but especially, thanks to all of you who strengthen these ties every working day.
Just a few weeks ago, I visited Switzerland and had many opportunities to talk to Swiss entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs of Kosovar origin in Switzerland, as well as students. And let me tell you that the future looks fully bright—with such people at Kosova’s side, it is a great motivation for the times ahead of us.
We are blessed with this partnership—or rather, this true friendship. So I am glad that this forum provides us with the opportunity to deepen that partnership, particularly in the areas of trade, investment, and technological innovation.
Let me reassure you that the government of Kosova is aware of the opportunities that lie in this relationship. Over the past three years, our economy has demonstrated resilience, with an average GDP growth of 6.2% of GDP—the highest in our region. In just five years, Kosova’s GDP has increased by 50%.
In 2020, our exports to Switzerland amounted to 38 million euros, increasing to 56 million euros in 2021 and then 63 million euros in 2022. These exports represent nearly 8% of Kosova’s total exports, making Switzerland our fifth-largest export destination. Notably, in 2022, Kosova had first time a positive trade balance with Switzerland, exporting products worth of 64 million euros and importing goods valued at 39 million euros. As we have seen in the previous infographics this trend continues – where we do have last year and this year as well a positive trade balance with Switzerland.
Thus, we are committed to creating a business environment that attracts investments and fosters sustainable growth alike. Kosova, as you all know, boasts a young, talented workforce with an entrepreneurial spirit. We are an attractive destination for Swiss companies looking to expand. In recent years, we have worked on our legal framework to make it even more business-friendly and to position ourselves as a reliable partner to all of you seeking to invest in Kosova or to expand your existing investments.
And it is great news for our country that finally we have managed to conclude successfully negotiations on EFTA (European Free Trade Agreement), where is also Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein and in this way by including also service, I believe that difficult it is to produce better news than this for all business sector for 2024 and we look forward that EFTA agreement in next year will be used as much as possible shows that in Kosova there is not only a market and a work force but also a partner in a form of a government and state institutions at large.
We are also committed to infrastructure development, with €7 billion earmarked for transformative projects in transportation, renewable energy, and environmental sustainability. These initiatives are not merely numbers on a chart; they signify our dedication to building a sustainable future where businesses can thrive.
This is a typical win-win situation—a perfect example of how synergies are created. Switzerland sets the global standard for innovation, precision, and sustainability. We believe that by leveraging Swiss expertise and Kosova’s growing potential, we can build a partnership that benefits both countries and both societies.
Societies that, in some ways, are made up of the same people—with over 300,000 Kosovars living in Switzerland, and I’ve been told it is hard to find a hospital, company, or school that doesn’t employ a Kosova native in the first or second generation. And in Switzerland we can find a company where there are now people who perhaps have been born in Switzerland, but it is difficult to find a company where they don’t have a Kosovar Swiss person as a worker there or even in management up to high level management. So this is a great potential that we better use fast and together for the mutual benefit of our citizens and our state alike.
From renewable energy and advanced manufacturing to technology and education, the opportunities for collaboration are vast. Today, I invite the Swiss investors to explore the growing opportunities in Kosova. Our government is actively reducing barriers, enhancing infrastructure, and supporting initiatives that align with global trends, such as the green economy and digital transformation. In Kosova, we have created a platform with over 200 online services for our people. The platform E Kosova started in 2021, now it has around 200 online services for citizens and businesses as well.
We are also committed as I have mentioned with 7 billion investment opportunities, different projects and transportation renewable energy and environments sustainability. Here, I would like to mention the 100 MW solar action for solar park in Kramavik in Rahovec where we have offered 15 years of power purchase agreement, 30 years of land lease agreement and price cap was 75 euros per MW/hour and there was a transparent online biding between five bid consortiums and the one which won one was German-Swiss-and-Kosovar diaspora that we didn’t know before. So this shows how our diaspora and how our western partners in general, Switzerland in particular, are investing in Kosova and are ever more interested to invest. I believe that slowly but surely and we should to it as fast as possible, bring Kosova, our country, into the expansion map, strategic map of expansion, of different Swiss corporations. Because in one hand we have the political geographic map of countries but then we have all this economic and geo economic maps. Kosova we should also be there and these are the maps of different companies and corporations.
It is also with immense pride that I share an exciting milestone: for the first time in history, Kosova will establish a House of Kosova during the World Economic Forum 2025 in Davos. This initiative is not only a testament to our country’s progress and global ambition but also a platform to showcase Kosova’s potential to the world. The House of Kosova will bring together business leaders, innovators, and policymakers to strengthen our international partnerships and create new opportunities for collaboration. So spread the word that in Davos this time when I was just going to visit houses of the others but others can visit our house as well.
Dear friends,
I apologize for the delay, we had prior commitment to the plenary session of parliament which as we know never starts on time. I was instructed not to speak longer than five minutes. So, I guess it is the Swiss precision that I should try better to adhere to. I want to conclude my remarks by thanking all of you for participating today and making an event like this possible.
This forum is more than an event; it is a milestone. Together, let us pave the way for a stronger, more prosperous partnership between Kosova and Switzerland.
Therefore, 21 of November 2024 will not be remembered as the day that when we saw snow for the first time in Pristina this year, but also because of this wonderful platform, and I show all my appreciation and thankfulness and gratefulness for organizing this and for working together for many months and years ahead.
Thank you.
Last modified: 21 Nëntor, 2024