Davos, 22 January 2025
From the Swiss House where the Free Trade Agreement between the EFTA member states and the Republic of Kosovo was signed, to the Kosovo House to mark this extraordinary achievement.
In addition to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo Albin Kurti and the Minister of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade, Rozeta Hajdari, representatives from the EFTA member states at ministerial level were also present.
In his speech, Prime Minister Kurti expressed that the agreement signed today expands export opportunities and further integrates our countries into the European economic framework, enabling our businesses to compete on a wider scale.
“We have made extraordinary progress in recent years. The average economic growth has been 6%, never falling below 4%. Tax revenues last year increased by 40 % compared to 2021, while this year’s annual budget is 50 % larger than in 2021. According to the World Bank, our economy is projected to grow by 4% this year, the highest growth rate expected in the region. In addition to our economic progress, we have achieved significant democratic progress,” said Prime Minister Kurti.
In conclusion, he said that the agreement we signed today embodies our shared values and common principles of free trade, democracy and human rights, as well as social responsibility, while thanking the governments of Norway, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Iceland and the Kosovo and EFTA negotiating teams for their goodwill and trust, cooperation and commitment throughout the negotiation process.
Full speech by Prime Minister Kurti:
Dear Ministers and Representatives of Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland,
Honorable Minister of Trade,
Distinguished Guests,
It is a pleasure to welcome you to the House of Kosova and celebrate this milestone that we have achieved today — the signing of the Free Trade Agreement between Kosova and EFTA countries.
And where better to celebrate this moment than here in Davos, during the world’s preeminent economic forum. In keeping with the tradition of WEF, we’ve established our own space—the House of Kosova, here in Switzerland. A house in a country that is home to so many of us, more than a quarter of a million citizens of Kosova.
The Agreement signed today will expand opportunities, open new export possibilities, and further integrate our countries into the European economic framework, enabling our businesses to compete on a broader scale.
Kosova has come a long way. We have made remarkable progress in recent years. Average economic growth has been 6 percent never falling below 4 percent. Tax revenues last year increased by 40 percent in comparison with 2021, and this year annual budget is 50 percent greater than in 2021. According to the World Bank, our economy is projected to grow by 4 percent in this year, the highest projected growth rate in the region.
Alongside our economic progress, we have achieved significant democratic advancements. According to the World Justice Project, Transparency International, Freedom House, and other democratic indicators of different world prestigious organizations, Kosova has experienced the fastest democratic rise in the last four years, demonstrating that democracy and development go hand-in-hand.
So, the Agreement we signed today embodies our shared values and shared principles of free market, democracy, and human rights, and social and corporate responsibility.
I thank the governments of Norway, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Iceland and the negotiating teams of Kosova and EFTA, for their goodwill and faith, cooperation and dedication throughout the negotiation process.
Congratulations and thank you and welcome again.
Last modified: January 23, 2025