Pristina, November 8, 2022
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, participated in the opening conference of the Population Census Week, organized by Kosovo Statistics Agency within the OPM, supported by UNFPA-Office in Kosovo.
In his speech, Prime Minister Kurti said that population census, family economies and housing constitute one of the most important institutional undertakings in our country.
Data on the size, distribution and composition of the population, living conditions and education level are the empirical balance of the present and the basis of policies for the future. They enable all data users, especially decision-makers at the local and central level, but also donors and other investors – to orientate and target the best policies and services for citizens”, said Prime Minister Kurti.
The data, the prime minister said, help us ensure a higher level of transparency and accountability and that they are also a reference point for long-term planning and forecasts of important socio-economic developments.
Further, he added, the data speak of a historic economic growth in our country for the past year with 10.7 % of gross domestic product, while, in the first quarter of this year, we have an increase of over 4 percent of the gross domestic product.
“We are distributing the economic growth to the citizens, through the measures and policies informed by data”, declared the Prime Minister.
He stressed the measures that have been taken to support citizens and businesses, as well as the approval of the draft law for the Budget of the Republic of Kosovo for the year 2023, worth 3 billion and 212 million euros. It is the data that will guide the execution of this budget, along with Government`s commitment to advance all aspects that affect the lives of citizens in the Republic of Kosovo, he said.
Prime Minister Kurti’s full speech:
Dear Ministers of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, Mr. Liburn Aliu, Mr. Fikrim Damka,
Dear Coordinator of the United Nations in Kosovo, Mrs. Spence,
Dear Leader of the Cooperation Sector, EU Office in Kosovo, Mr. Madsen,
Dear ambassadors and other diplomats from diplomatic missions and international offices in Kosovo,
Dear Messrs. Berisha and Kastrati,
Dear representatives of Kosovo institutions, professors, professionals and experts,
Ladies and gentleman,
In order to plan and implement evidence-based policies and for economic and social development, it is essential to have reliable and detailed data.
Population census, family economies and housing constitute one of the most important institutional undertakings in our country. Data on the size, distribution and composition of the population, living conditions and education level are the empirical balance of the present and the basis of policies for the future. They enable all data users, especially decision-makers at the local and central level, but also donors and other investors – to orientate and target the best policies and services for citizens.
Data helps us ensure higher levels of transparency and accountability. They are also reference points for long-term planning and forecasts of important socio-economic developments.
The data speak of a historic economic growth in our country for the past year with 10.7 % of gross domestic product, while, in the first quarter of this year, we have an increase of over 4 percent of the gross domestic product after deducting inflation.
We are distributing economic growth to the citizens, through data-informed policy measures.
Thus, based on the price indices, to deal with the price increase, pandemic consequences and energy crisis, we have offered over 750 million euros of support to citizens and businesses. Meanwhile, today the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo is expected to vote on the Draft Law on temporary measures of basic products in special cases of destabilization in the market.
Thanks to the data, it is possible to design measures that respond to citizen’s needs, as well as to close existing gaps. Through gender integration within the Economic Recovery Package, we have designed specific measures to support women’s economic empowerment and increase women’s access to education and employment. We have supported women employment, by the aforementioned measure, from which 3,500 women and 1,490 businesses have benefited. We have supported businesses, which are owned by women, with a subsidy value of close to half a million euros, while the value of the enabled crediting exceeds 3 million euros. While since the beginning of the support scheme for new mothers, until now we have about 200 thousand beneficiaries of Child Allowances and over 23 thousand beneficiaries of Maternity Allowances.
The current data for the 1 and a half year that we left behind, speak of the return of the public finance system to the rails, reducing the public debt against the gross domestic product by 27%, respectively from 28.7% as it was in 2020, to 21% in 2021. These data prove high accountability for common public money.
At the 103rd meeting of the Government, we approved the draft law for the Budget of the Republic of Kosovo for 2023, in the amount of 3 billion and 212 million euros. These are the data that will guide budget execution, together with our commitment to advance all aspects that affect the lives of citizens in the Republic of Kosovo.
Dear attendees,
In September 2022, the Government of Kosovo has proposed that the next on-site registration take place from September 1 to October 16, 2023. This timetable offers the opportunity for every citizen of Kosovo to register.
We will support Kosovo Statistics Agency, which is also the bearer of the registration project, in order for the registration to be qualitative, professional, and comprehensive.
I wish success to everyone who will engage with dedication in this very important process for our country and our future.
Thank you!
Last modified: November 9, 2022