emg home
RSS

News Archive

EMportal in Tirana

Albanian PM: Investors need good laws, good infrastructure and services.

08. May 2010. | 06:24

Source: EMGportal

City: Tirana

Author: Nikos D. A. Arvanites

Albania will avert economic crisis because of 3 reasons: low fiscal burden on the business; downsizing public sector which is not a burden on the taxpayers; strategic investments in infrastructure, all in function of business

Albania will avert economic crisis because of 3 reasons: low fiscal burden on the business; downsizing public sector which is not a burden on the taxpayers; strategic investments in infrastructure, all in function of business

Investors need not only good laws, but even good infrastructure and services. We are working for you and offer you welcome!

Prime Minister Sali Berisha attended today the opening of Crans Montana Forum which holds its proceedings in Tirana.

Speaking to a rather important panel consisting of foreign entrepreneurs, members of the Cabinet and Albanian businesspeople, also expressing thanks for the organizers of this forum which has stood close to Albania for 20 years, PM Berisha displayed all the potentials which make Albania rather attractive for investments with its very favorable business climate.

In his speech delivered on this occasion, PM Berisha considered special the time this forum takes place. It coincides with the global economic crisis, but Albania withstood it, just with little wavering, owing to the multi-dimensional reforms undertaken to facilitate doing business in Albania.

“Investors need not only good laws, but even good infrastructure and services. Hence, my government has worked in all the directions. We are committed to make Albania, the country with the lowest fiscal burden in Europe”, underlined in his speech PM Berisha.

In this context, PM Berisha listed as important developments in Albania the business online register, modernization of the Customs, 10% flat tax, payment of taxes online.

“E-register of businesses is encouraging. FDI got increased by 59% in 2008. Following Albania NATO membership, there were signed concession and investment agreements worth 5 billion USD. Foreign investments are reduced a little, but they are not withdrawn. Everyone is proceeding with their projects and my government stands by them,” said PM Berisha.

Speaking about the consequences of the global economic crisis to our country, PM Berisha said that Albania managed to successfully cope with a light wavering that was reflected even in the Albanian economy only owing to reforms and the government performance.

“Economic growth fell from 8 to 3.5%. Also exports fell. By the end of 2008 the banks faced the consequences of a certain panic and some hundreds of millions of euros in savings were withdrawn. We decided to proceed with reform as the only way to face the crisis. What is the situation at present? It’s quite different.

There is praise-worthy job done. Albania exports got increased more than 100% during the first three month period of the current year. Albania exports toward the importing countries have got increased by 26%. The banking system is healthy. Deposits got increased. Our banking system has at present 780 billion lekë and credit amounts to 45 billion which implies a rather good deposit-credit ratio, better than forecasts”, said PM Berisha.

In this context, PM Berisha said that Albania will avert economic crisis because of 3 reasons: low fiscal burden on the business; downsizing public sector which is not a burden on the taxpayers; strategic investments in infrastructure, all in function of business

Likewise, PM Berisha highlighted the rapid steps Albania has made on its way toward integration into European family, the NATO membership, Stabilization-Association Agreement approved by 27 EU members; 26 EU countries accepting Albania request for EU membership; the completion of European Commission Questionnaire of 2284 questions.

Also PM Berisha spoke about last June general elections and described them important because the standards achieved paved the way of Albania toward European integration.

“Last June we held the general elections. We were committed to have elections meeting international standards. They were modern, and ballot counting among the most modern in Europe. Ballot counting was pictured and transmitted in real time to Central Election Commission thanks to high technology at the ballot counting stations. Nevertheless, the opposition is in protest following court ruling against any vote recounting. But, the court ruling will be respected. This is a country where the rule of law is in place. Every Albanian citizen has the right to peaceful protest in whatever form they consider it suitable.”

Further on, the prime minister pointed to Albania potentials which make the country favorable for the foreign investors and focused on the energy as an absolute priority of the government. In his speech, PM Berisha listed the important agreements signed with the Italian government, Montenegro, Kosova and soon with Macedonia; the signing of 200 concession contracts on hydro-power stations; the government ambitious projects on nuclear energy; the contracts with Qatar government which is interested in building a 2500 MW central targeting to transport the energy to the Italian and European market; the Trans-Adriatic gas pipeline project which in Albania finds the shortest route for transportation of gas from Central Asia toward Europe- and said that all these priorities will transform Albania into an energy superpower in the region.

The interest of major international companies from Canada, Australia, Russia and China in Albanian minerals was another topic about which PM Berisha spoke at Crans Montana Forum. The prime minister considered Albania a country of an important role in the international market of minerals.

Likewise, Albania geographic position, the virgin coast and tourism of 36% growth last year was another appeal of PM Berisha to foreign investors.

At the end of his speech, PM Berisha addressed to the present investors: We are working for you and we offer you welcome!

Share:

Del.icio.us
Digg
My Web
Facebook
Newsvine

Enter text:

<<

12. July - 18. July 2010.

>>