Prishtina, 6 November 2026
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, attended the ceremony for the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship, Trade and Innovation and the World Bank Group (IFC) for the development of eco-industrial parks in Kosovo.
In his address, the Prime Minister emphasized that the first pillar of the Government’s programme is dedicated to a circular and competitive economy. Therefore, he stressed that the launch of the project for the development of eco-industrial parks is fully aligned with the Government’s strategic commitment and is directly linked to how the industry and economy of the Republic of Kosovo will develop in the coming years.
Prime Minister Kurti further highlighted that Kosovo’s economy has recorded significant growth in recent years.
“Gross Domestic Product has increased by approximately one billion euros per year on average, whereas previously it took three years to achieve such an increase. During the same period, namely over the past five years, more than 85,000 new jobs have been created, services exports have almost tripled, while foreign direct investment has, for the first time, exceeded the value of one billion euros,” said Prime Minister Kurti.
Prime Minister Kurti also stated that, despite the economic growth and increase in exports that have been recorded, the trade deficit remains one of the main challenges facing the economy. In this regard, he highlighted the plans and commitment to replacing imports with domestically produced goods and the role of industrial parks in achieving this objective.
“The development of industrial parks will extend to all regions of Kosovo, without exception, including two parks in the northern part of our country. Following the establishment of law and order north of the Iber River, we are gradually shifting our focus towards economic development, job creation and improving the lives of citizens living there,” said Prime Minister Kurti.
Full Speech of Prime Minister Kurti:
Honourable Ms Mimoza Kusari Lila, Minister of Industry, Entrepreneurship, Trade and Innovation,
Honourable Ms Fitore Pacolli Dalipi, Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning,
Honourable Mayor of South Mitrovica, Mr Faton Peci,
Honourable Ms Carole Megevand, World Bank Manager for Kosovo,
Honourable Mr Hubert Perr, Head of Cooperation at the European Union Office in Kosovo,
Honourable Deputy Ministers, colleagues from the Government, Mr Bunjaku, Mr Mehmeti and Mr Maksuti,
Honourable Members of Parliament, presidents of associations and business associations, representatives of our entrepreneurs, heads and representatives of our institutions,
Ladies and gentlemen,
The first pillar of our Government programme is dedicated to a circular and competitive economy. Therefore, the launch of the project for the development of eco-industrial parks is fully aligned with our strategic commitment and is directly linked to how the industry and economy of our Republic will develop in the years to come.
In recent years, Kosovo’s economy has recorded significant growth. Gross Domestic Product has increased by approximately one billion euros per year on average, whereas previously it took three years to achieve such growth. During the same period, namely over the past five years, more than 85,000 new jobs have been created, services exports have almost tripled, while foreign direct investment has, for the first time, exceeded the value of one billion euros.
Despite the economic growth we have achieved, we must acknowledge that the trade deficit remains one of the main challenges facing our economy. During 2025, Kosovo imported goods worth 7 billion euros, while exports amounted to approximately 1 billion euros. In 2026 as well, despite the increase in exports, the trade gap continues to be substantial.
We want as many as possible of the goods that we currently purchase from abroad to be produced in Kosovo. Therefore, we see industrial parks as one of the mechanisms that can help achieve this objective. They provide domestic businesses with the space and necessary infrastructure to expand their production capacities, while creating more attractive conditions for foreign investors who wish to relocate part of their production activities to our country. It is important to us that such investments bring not only capital, but also new jobs, technology, knowledge and opportunities for cooperation with domestic suppliers.
Our diaspora has a particularly important role in attracting these investments. In Germany, Switzerland, France, the United States of America and other countries, we have many entrepreneurs of Kosovo origin who have built successful businesses and who can become a bridge between our economy and international markets. They can bring to Kosovo not only their capital and experience, but also their business partners and networks of cooperation.
Kosovo has several advantages for attracting such investments. These include its geographical position, proximity to the European Union market, a skilled workforce, a young, multilingual and talented population, as well as competitive fiscal policies, all of which undoubtedly create favourable conditions for the development of manufacturing activities. By increasing domestic production, we can replace some of the goods we import and increase exports of our products bearing the “Made in Kosova” label.
In this spirit, through continuous dialogue with the private sector and domestic manufacturers, we have also developed the One-Billion-Euro Plan for Manufacturing and Industry. This plan, developed in dialogue with businesses and based on their needs, aims to facilitate the financing of investments in new production capacities and the expansion of economic activities. Together with the development of eco-industrial parks, the plan is expected to create better conditions for investment, increased domestic production and the creation of new and increasingly better-quality jobs.
In addition to creating conditions for investment and expanding production, the way in which this production is developed is also of particular importance. In this regard, eco-industrial parks create opportunities for a more modern and efficient industry, with better use of resources and a lower negative impact on the environment. They complement our efforts to increase the use of renewable energy and prepare businesses for the increasingly demanding requirements of the European market.
The development of industrial parks will extend to all regions of Kosovo, without exception, including two parks in the northern part of our country. Following the establishment of order and the rule of law north of the Iber River, we are gradually shifting our focus towards economic development, job creation and improving the living conditions of citizens who reside there.
Finally, I would like to emphasize the importance of cooperation with the World Bank Group and the European Union in implementing the eco-industrial parks project, and express our gratitude for their support throughout this process. Equally essential is coordination with municipalities, business associations and all other relevant stakeholders. Our joint commitment will ensure that these parks respond to the needs of businesses and create the best possible conditions for investment and economic development.
I look forward to making many joint visits to cities across Kosovo over the next four years and seeing these parks fully operational. I look forward to seeing domestic and foreign businesses engaged in production and developing their activities, combining competition with cooperation, and using modern production processes and technologies powered by energy generated from wind, water and the sun, for the overall benefit of both the private sector and the well-being of citizens.
I look forward to seeing workers earning increasingly higher wages and enjoying ever-improving working conditions, as well as surrounding villages and towns experiencing these parks in their daily lives as a source of prosperity from which they benefit.
This will be the best evidence that this joint project has delivered the results we are working towards.
Thank you, and congratulations to everyone!
