Pristina, November 27, 2024
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, together with the Minister of Economy, Artane Rizvanolli, attended the event organized to promote the project for the “Complete Modernization of the VALA Network.”
In his speech, the Prime Minister stated that Telekom is now a revitalized enterprise, with financial and operational stability, fully modernizing its mobile network with 5G and 4G+ across Kosovo, setting a good example for the country and the region.
“Telekom established discipline, restructured its ranks, returned to profitability, and initiated the major project of modernizing its mobile network, the primary service the enterprise provides to all our citizens without distinction,” said the Prime Minister, emphasizing that Vala has fully transitioned to the state code of the Republic of Kosovo +383 and has modernized its technology.
He added that today, we are ahead of many neighboring countries, with Vala’s mobile network covering the entire country with 4G+, and over 65% of Kosovo’s territory being served with 5G.
“Traffic on Vala’s network is increasing. Customers are increasingly satisfied, and their number is growing daily. Revenues from sales are rising, and the future of the enterprise is secure. With visionary leadership and advanced infrastructure, Vala is ready to drive and support the digital transformation of our society and contribute to Kosovo’s ongoing economic growth,” stated Prime Minister Kurti.
The Minister of Economy, Artane Rizvanolli, said it is extraordinary to see how Telekom continues to progress each time despite the challenges that have existed. Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of Telekom of Kosovo, Burbuqe Hana, stated that as we promote this project, Kosovo has become a regional leader in implementing the most advanced technologies of the time, 4G+ and 5G, on this scale nationwide.
Prime Minister Kurti’s full speech:
Honorable Artane Rizvanolli, Minister of Economy,
Honorable Mr. Petrit Nahi, Chairman of the Board of Directors,
Honorable Ms. Burbuqe Hana, CEO of Telekom of Kosovo,
Honorable Mr. Halil Krasniqi, Technical Director of Telekom of Kosovo,
Honorable Mr. Lami Balaj, Chairman of the Union,
Esteemed engineers and employees,
Distinguished attendees,
Ladies and gentleman,
It is a pleasure to meet again at Telekom of Kosovo on a celebratory day for the achievements of everyone involved!
When I was a telecommunications student three decades ago, one of the most intriguing discussions at the time revolved around the big question of where the technology of the future would take us. And when I assumed the office of the Prime Minister almost four years ago, we were asking a different question: how would Telekom of Kosovo, a company with immense potential but severely burdened by the reckless actions of previous governments, succeed?
Today, we have the answers to both questions, merging the curiosity of a young individual striving for knowledge and innovation, like me three decades ago, and the concerns of a government leader now, tasked with protecting public assets and serving the public interest.
The first answer is a revitalized enterprise, with financial and operational stability, fully modernizing its mobile network with 5G and 4G+ across the territory of the Republic, setting a positive example for the country and the region.
As for the second answer, when we took office in March 2021, we made it clear that we would support Telekom as much as Telekom would commit to working together on deep reforms and achieving tangible results. Telekom was ready for this journey. And it embarked on this work from day one, to such an extent that the Government’s support became not only more meaningful but also more efficient.
Telekom established discipline, restructured its ranks, returned to profitability, and launched the major project of modernizing its mobile network – the main service that the company provides to all our citizens without distinction.
Initially, Vala fully transitioned to the state code of the Republic of Kosovo, +383, saving on international traffic fees and enhancing national security.
As a second step, Vala completely overhauled its technology and modernized its core infrastructure with 550 base stations across the territory of our independent state. Vala’s technology had been outdated, left without maintenance for nearly eight years, which challenged our engineers in ways unseen anywhere else in the world, pushing them to devise innovative solutions for the modernization project.
Thanks to them, today we are ahead of many neighboring countries. Vala’s mobile network covers almost the entire country with 4G+, and over 65% of Kosovo’s territory is served with 5G. Traffic on Vala’s network is increasing. Customers are increasingly satisfied, and their number is growing daily. Revenues from sales are rising, and the future of the enterprise is secure.
With visionary leadership and advanced infrastructure, Vala is ready to drive and support the digital transformation of our society and contribute to Kosovo’s ongoing economic growth.
Vala is also protecting the environment! During the modernization process, Vala’s teams have worked diligently to reuse and recycle materials that did not need replacement, thereby eliminating waste that would burden our land and future generations. The new equipment has increased energy efficiency by 35% and reduced carbon emissions by 30%, demonstrating Telekom’s commitment to addressing broader societal challenges.
The Republic of Kosovo is fortunate to have Telekom of Kosovo. And we must preserve Telekom for the sake of the Republic. This enterprise is a concrete example of the message we have repeated over the years: the blame for any complaint does not lie with public ownership but with governance that disregards the public interest.
For this reason, we are committed to establishing the Sovereign Fund to manage the Republic’s assets and promote sustainable development in the country. This institution is following Telekom’s path, overcoming the obstacles that opponents place, if not to bring us down, then to delay us. But just as Vala’s success has become a reality today, so will the Sovereign Fund of the Republic of Kosovo. Telekom of Kosovo, or our Vala, will be one of the first exemplary enterprises entrusted to the Sovereign Fund to manage and elevate it further, higher and higher.
Thank you very much for all your work, dedication, and even sacrifice for your invaluable contributions. Well done, and may success follow you! Thank you!
Last modified: December 2, 2024