Prishtina, 27 December, 2023
Dear representatives of the media,
Dear citizens of the Republic,
Welcome to this regular media conference for this year, for this end of the year, after the 180th meeting of our Government.
In 2023, we held a total of 62 meetings, in which, counting now also the decisions we just took, 564 decisions were approved, of which 78 draft laws; 66 appointments; 18 concept documents; 5 legislative initiatives; 23 draft regulations; 8 administrative instructions; and 366 other decisions.
In my address at the Government meeting, I presented a summary of the main decisions that have been taken at the meetings throughout this year. But they represent only part of the work, because governance is more, much more than just the decisions we make.
There are many policies and results that happened for the first time during our government. Even the year 2023 has been like this in this direction, and in every area of the government.
Through the Ministry of Finance, Labor and Transport, we launched the SuperPuna platform, through which around 8,500 young women and men under the age of 25 have been employed. We created the Partial Contributory Pension Scheme for pensioners who were forced out of work during the 1990s as a result of the violent measures in that world. And, for the first time, we started the process of registering social enterprises, which provide services to vulnerable groups or employ more than 30% of the staff from these groups.
In the field of justice, this year the vetting package was finalized, the Institute for Research and Documentation of War Crimes was established by law, and the Law on the State Bureau for Confiscation of Unjustified Assets was approved. The bureau would have been functional by the end of this year, to start its big work next year, but we all know that the opposition paralyzed this law by sending it to the Constitutional Court, which has been handling it since February, so it’s been 10 months and still no answer.
In the field of culture, youth and sports, this year for the first time the Song Festival was organized in RTK, Kosovo was announced as the host of the 2030 Mediterranean Games, and became a member of the International Organization European Youth Charter Association.
After the successful piloting of dual education last year, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology expanded this year with programs in 12 profiles, i.e. from 4 to 12 in a total of 21 schools and 14 municipalities in Kosovo. In the meantime, he also started the revision of the Albanian language and mathematics textbooks for grades 1-9, as well as organized for the first time the STEMinist international conference, through which the professional advancement of women and girls in the STEM fields is promoted. There are a total of 4,630 scholarships for girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, which has led to the fact that in our country today, 50 percent of STEM students are girls and women.
In health, in addition to investments, we added new services for citizens, which are offered in public institutions such as Inhaler Sedation in dentistry; Endoscopic ultrasound; Free service for breast reconstruction for patients affected by cancer, and now recently with the new equipment in the Clinic of Ophthalmology also the diagnosis of retinopathy of premature babies (ROP). At the same time, with the new Salary Law, our doctors for the first time have a decent salary, as this year the number of inspectors in this field has tripled.
Speaking of inspectors, this year saw the highest number of inspections in the history of the Central Market Inspectorate, over 3,000, which operates within the Ministry of Industry, Enterprise and Trade. We have approved for the first time since the declaration of Independence, and it has entered into force, the Strategy for Industrial Development and Business Support 2030. Also, we have signed the agreement for the inclusion of Kosovo in one of the largest programs of the EU, in the amount of 4.2 billion euros dedicated to the business sector.
The Ministry of Economy for the first time launched the scheme for subsidizing energy-efficient equipment for businesses, after previous schemes which were dedicated to households. This year also, this ministry opened the first solar auction with a capacity of 100 megawatts, which will be built on public land in the village of Kramovik in Rahovec, 365 hectares have already been allocated, of which 120 are selected for a capacity of 100 megawatts with panels solar This year, full coverage was achieved in the entire territory of the Republic of Kosovo, with fast internet.
For farmers and ranchers, in 2023 we had the highest budget ever, with over 100 million. We are ending the year and entering the New Year without obligations and debts to them, which is a direct result of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development. And for the further development of this important sector, for the first time we have approved the National Program for Agriculture and Rural Development 2023-2027.
This year, we allocated the highest ever budget to the Ministry of Defense, 200 million euros, or more than 2% of GDP, which is a NATO criterion. We strengthened the army even more by being equipped for the first time with Bayraktar Combat Drones. And we deepened and expanded the bilateral and international cooperation in this field through the accreditation of defense attachés in the Netherlands, Canada and Slovenia for the first time.
In the field of security and internal affairs, our Republic has placed the liaison officer at EUROPOL. We were the last country in the Western Balkans, with which EUROPOL did not have a cooperation agreement and therefore did not have the possibility of exchanging information, with the aim of fighting serious and organized crime. This year has been challenging, especially in the northern part of the country. We were attacked, but we were defeated. This year has been difficult because the attacks that took place once were to block traffic and then to hit our security personnel. This year, the Kosovo Police managed to identify and seize weapons and explosive devices in four (4) warehouses in the northern municipalities of our country.
In addition to the fight against criminal gangs, which turned into paramilitary groups, this year, several other achievements have been made in the municipalities in the north of the country, which improve the lives of citizens. After more than two decades, Municipal Cadastral Offices have been opened in North Mitrovica, Leposaviq, Zveçan and Zubin Potok. Meanwhile, after as many years, the reconstruction and renovation of the houses of the Albanians that were damaged in the period 1998-99 has begun. Both of these thanks to the commitment of the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure.
Non-majority communities are taken care of by the Ministry of Communities and Return and the Ministry of Local Government Administration. We have allocated a special fund of 3 million euros to support small businesses, farmers and non-governmental organizations from the ranks of non-majority communities, with the aim of employing and empowering them. We enabled the construction and renovation of houses of non-majority communities in municipalities through a special program that will continue next year. And today we approved the Strategy for the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Communities and their Members 2023-2027, which was presented by Minister Rashiq, and which is the most important document for our conviction of the last decade in terms of communities.
For more regional development, the Ministry of Regional Development has organized for the first time the Forum with the theme: “Possibilities of regional cooperation Kosovo-Albania”, which has also come up with concrete proposals for joint projects. A number of cooperation agreements have also been signed with international organizations and public institutions with the aim of socio-economic development of our regions, especially areas that have been neglected in the past.
Finally, in the field of foreign affairs and Diaspora, I am highlighting only one achievement, since with us is Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Donika Gërvalla Schwarz, who will speak much longer and better, in more detail, about her work and successes . It is the decision to liberalize visas for our citizens. This has been an achievement as a result of a broad undertaking by the Government and undoubtedly a joint achievement.
I believe that we are closing the year 2023 with successes for which I, as prime minister, together with the deputy prime minister, are proud of both the commitment and the successes.
Thank you!
Last modified: December 28, 2023