The Budget Plan for 2014

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On November 14, 2013, Life in Kosovo discussed the budget for 2014.

Panelists in this debate were: Haki Shatri, Minister of Finances; Haki Shatri, former Minister of Finances; and Agron Demi, GAP Institute.

The former minister of Finances, Haki Shatri, said that the budget plan of 2014 is “a survival for the governmental institutions” and non-development. Even the economic analysts say that this budget plan will not bring any innovation; the budget plan will increase the expenses for services and goods and will reduce the capital investments.

The Minister of Finances, Besim Beqaj considers this budget plan as developing and the budget plan is drafted in such way that withstands the promises of Prime Minister Thaçi to raise the salaries.

The Prime Minister, Hashim Thaçi, during the election campaign of November 3rd local elections promised that he will invest millions of Euros in the biggest municipalities and will raise the salaries 100 % during the upcoming mandate.

The parliamentary commission for budget and finances in the meeting of 13th of November approved the budget plan of 2014 recommending the Assemble to accept it in the first parliamentary session.

This budget plan was opposed by the head of the parliamentary commission for budget and finances, Naser Osmani, who gave some remarks for the text and said that there was uncertainty in the numbers/ digits. Absent in this commission meeting were: Hykmete Bajrami and Sali Asllanaj from LDK and Albana Fetoshi from Vetevendosje.

In addition, Agron Demi said that even though they increased the salaries and the goods and the services the fact that the capital investments decreased shows that the budget plan is not a developing budget plan. The economic development will happen but it will be a symbolic increase of only 4%.