The Minister of Commerce, Mimoza Kusari Lila, received several appeals
to lift the 35% import tax on cement, a decision taken a few days ago.
This request was made during the meeting with the delegation of the Kosovo Economic Chamber and the Tirana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where the Kosovo Ambassador to Tirana was also present with many other businessmen.
During the conference, some people outside the building were holding banners against the decision of the Kosovo Minister. Ambassador Lauka, considering the decision as a barrier, declared that such experiments should end in both sides of the border.
“Albania made the same thing with potatoes, and we are doing it with this. This is what I doubt that this is. And if this is really a reflex, a blocking mentality of mutual responses, this logic cannot take you anywhere. Not only, but it is damaging, counterproductive. The case with the potatoes was not good, but this doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t answer with the same logic”, declared the Albanian ambassador in Prishtina, Islam Lauka.
The decision of the Minister was opposed by the representatives of the businesses in Kosovo and Albania, and by the manager of the Cement Factory in Fushe Kruje, which exports cement to Kosovo.
Safet Gerxhaliu, Chairman of the Kosovo Chamber of Economy: I believe that the economic progress should be a priority, and by protecting the interests of everyone, not selectively. For the Kosovo Chamber of Economy, this decision is characterized by a lack of preliminary dialogue.
Nikolin Jaka, Director of the Chamber of Commerce, Tirana: A 35% increased tax falls against any economic logic, and against all political goals.
Jorge Jeha, Manager of the Cement Factory in Fushë-Krujë, Seament: This decision serves to protect the market or one single company? Because in Kosovo is being protected only one company. If the local production would not cover the demand, than they would need import.
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