Kosovo Parliament Convenes Friday To Vote Economic Recovery Package

English

Gazeta Express

02/12/2020 16:29

The Parliament of Kosovo will convene Friday when MPs are expected to vote an important Law on Economic Recovery, Gazeta Express reports.

The request for holding an urgent session of Parliament was initiated by the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) in opposition and was signed by MPs of the ruling Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and Alliance for the Future of Kosovo.

Acting chairman of the PDK Enver Hoxhaj said today that they will support the Government sponsored Law on Economic Recovery after the Government agreed to amend the Law and include their recommendations. Hoxhaj said that they will ask an urgent session of Parliament to vote the Draft Law.

In October, the Parliament approved in the first reading the Draft Law after six failed attempts. The opposition parties criticised the Draft Law saying that some of the measures will not help country’s economy recover affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. After first reading the Draft Law was returned to the Parliament Committees for another review. The PDK voted the Draft Law during today’s meeting of the Committee on Budget and Transfers paving the way to proceed the Draft Law to the Parliament for a final approval. The PDK head said that the Government took into consideration their recommendations and in return they have decided to support the Draft Law.

The Draft Law if adopted will allow Kosovo citizens to withdraw 10 percent of their pension savings. This was criticised by the PDK who asked the savings to be reimbursed by the Government. As a compromise the Government agreed to reimburse all the citizens who in their savings have up to 9,999 euro starting in 2023. Also, the Government amended the law including the PDK’s recommendation on easing of the Value Added Tax for some of the imports and refunding businesses and employees who lost their jobs because of COVID-19 pandemic.

The other opposition party – the Vetevendosje continues to oppose the Government-sponsored law saying that the measures do not help country’s recover economy hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. /GazetaExpress/