FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The value of customer deposits in 12 commercial banks operating in Kosovo increased by about one billion euros in one year.
The value of savings in May this year, according to the Central Bank of Kosovo (CBK), reached 5.6 billion, while in the same period last year it was around 4.8 billion euros.
The average interest rate on time deposits in the banking sector is 1.8 percent.
Financial experts and representatives of the business community consider that it would be in the interest of society for these funds to be invested in businesses and not kept in banks as cash.
Mejdi Bektashi, professor of economics at the University of Pristina "Hasan Prishtina", and former member of the CBK Board, says that an increase in savings has been observed in recent years. According to him, savings in Kosovo are higher compared to some states in the region.
According to him, it would be useful for the citizens to put these funds into circulation, so that then this money would have an impact on the improvement of the economic situation.
"The greater part of these deposits, but also of the loans given by commercial banks, are not going to the opening of businesses to open new jobs, but are being deferred in banks or are being used for the purchase of real estate", he says for REL.
As for the countries of the region, according to the CBK report for 2022, Montenegro leads with the increase in deposits by 24.4 percent, followed by Kosovo with 13.3 percent. Then comes Serbia with 7.0 percent and Albania with 5.9 percent.
"If I open a business, I may fail and lose my savings"
Kushtrim Behrami from Pristina, works as an economist in a public enterprise and receives a monthly salary of around 700 euros.
He says that he managed to save a lot of money. However, the savings are not only from his salary, but he also made them with the help of family members, who live in different countries of Europe.
Behrami intends to open a family business in the future, but says he is afraid of obligations.
"I want to, but I'm afraid. I have friends who deal with business and they have told me that the conditions of doing business are not good, there are many expenses. Rent is high, then there is rent tax for 10 percent, municipal obligations and expenses for workers. These are the biggest reasons and fears that I hesitate because if I decided to invest the savings I made, and not have a job or fail in business, then it is equal to zero. I lose my savings and my effort," he says.
The keeping of cash by citizens in commercial banks is worrying for Skënder Krasniqi from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Kosovo.
In the absence of an offer and a suitable environment for doing business, he says that citizens cannot take the courage to put their vehicles into circulation.
Sipas tij, institucionet e Kosovës duhet të krijojnë kushte, sidomos për bizneset fillestare.
“Politikat fiskale janë të dëmshme për bizneset që synojnë të futen në treg. Për një periudhë kohore, bizneset fillestare duhet të ndihmohen në pagesën e një përqindjeje të qirasë, të eliminohen taksat dhe tatimet, siç është lirimi nga Tatimi mbi Vlerën e Shtuar [TVSH] dhe të gjenden forma për ndihmë financiare”, thotë ai.
Qeveria e Kosovës ka premtuar se do ofrojë mundësi biznesi për të rinjtë. Në programin e saj për vitin 2021-2025, thuhet se të rinjtë do ndihmohen në zhvillimin e ndërmarrjeve fillestare, të cilët do të tërheqnin investitorët vendës dhe të huaj, duke rezultuar në krijimin e vendeve të reja të punës. Po ashtu, për bizneset e fillestare, ekzekutivi ka premtuar se do të ndahen grante.
While some of the citizens have managed to deposit their assets, another part have received loans. The value of the loans has reached around 4.7 billion euros with an interest rate of 6.5 percent.
Lini një Përgjigje