Murat blames the previous governments for the operation of the closed bank in the north

The closure of illegal institutions in the north of Kosovo, in the third year of the mandate, the Minister of Finance, Hekuran Murati, has relativized by allowing their operation. A day after the action of the Kosovo Police against the subsidiaries of the Postal Savings Bank, Murati said that responsibility should be sought for why their activity was allowed to open, since prevention would be easier than closing them down.

The Minister of Finance, Hekuran Murati, has put the responsibility for the operation of illegal financial institutions in Kosovo on the previous governments. To the question of why these institutions have not been intervened so far, Minister Murati has responded with the recommendation that it be placed differently and at a different address.

Based on the information of the head of the Office for Kosovo in the Government of Serbia, Petar Petkovic, Murati said that the offices of the Postal Savings Bank in the north were opened six years ago. 

"I consider that the right question that should be added is why they were allowed to open in 2018, because since then steps had to be taken to prevent such a thing from happening. Normally the new situation created then creates much more energy to undo than to prevent. Prevention is always easier. So the question must be asked about the people who were responsible in government in 2018, whether in the CBK, in the Ministry of Finance or in other law enforcement bodies, why was it allowed to open illegal institutions and operate without a license without showing who are the final beneficiaries and where do your funds go", he said.

On Monday, the Kosovo Police in cooperation with the Tax Administration of Kosovo have closed six units of the Postal Savings Bank in the four northern municipalities, and during the action they seized about 1.6 million euros, over 74 million dinars (about 630 thousand euros), about 19.500 Swiss francs , about 13.800 US dollars and about 40 Australian dollars. 

According to the Minister of Finance, this financial institution has developed activities without a relevant license. 

"There has been a well-founded suspicion that financial activity is taking place in violation of the law, regardless of the destination of the funds. The destination of the funds is then the second step for which I believe that both the law enforcement agencies and the prosecution have provided or will provide sufficient evidence for where the funds were dedicated, because even when there is legal financial activity, even if there were license, we must make sure that the beneficiaries are known and that the means are used for legal purposes", he said.

At the media conference after the Government meeting, Minister Murati also spoke about the projects and reforms that will be implemented within the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, which is worth 6 billion euros.

Four billion will be allocated in the form of low-interest loans and two billion grants.

Of these, 950 million euros are expected to be dedicated to Kosovo. Minister Murati initially said that there are no conditions for financial benefits from the EU and then admitted that they are conditional on the normalization of relations with Serbia.

"The conditions or criteria of the Growth Plan are based on reforms. Each reform has its own cost or price. Once it is considered complete, it is submitted to each semi-annual review that will occur over the next few years. The Republic of Kosovo submits the report with the completed reforms, then we also have the release of those relevant funds according to the reforms that have been implemented and can be made available to the Government to use them", said the minister.

Regarding the conditioning of the benefits from the growth plan with the normalization of ratios, he said that the implementation of reforms towards European integration will continue even in the absence of support from the EU. 

"We are committed to implementing those reforms, because we are determined for European values ​​and for convergence towards the EU regardless of the financial reward. The financial reward is an addition and complement that normally helps the process, but we have been dedicated as a partner of the EU and a country that aims for European integration", he said.

The government allocates 300 euros for the stalled project due to EU measures

And while 950 million euros of this plan are conditional on constructive engagement in the normalization of relations, millions more are blocked due to EU measures towards Kosovo. 

The Ministry of Return and Communities is one of the affected institutions, and in order to prevent one of the projects from being delayed, the government cabinet approved the allocation of 300 euros on Tuesday.

Minister Murati said that these funds are the part that Kosovo must pay, and will enable the continuation of the project through the agreement with the United Nations Organization. 

"It means that an action by the EU that was allegedly for the extension of the situation in settlements inhabited by non-majority communities has resulted in damage to the interests of the non-majority community.

However, because we have evaluated the request of Minister Nenad Rashić, as the Minister of Finance we have proceeded and made a decision to share these funds, so let's not wait for the EU until it removes the measures, but we as the government pay the part so that the project can continue", he said.

At the meeting of the government cabinet, held on Tuesday, among other things, the initiative for an agreement with Turkey regarding social insurance was approved and some properties were also expropriated.

Other decisions of the Government

In relation to the agreement with Turkey, the Minister of Finance said that citizens who have worked in Turkey or Kosovo will be able to combine the periods of contributions or even export the pension and contributions they receive. 

"When we say they export the pension, it means that someone who worked in the Republic of Turkey decides to be in the Republic of Kosovo, he can take the pension with him or vice versa.

Regardless of where he lives, he receives his pension from where he contributed and worked," he said.

"It is very good and important for both countries, as it enables the exchange of information. There have been cases when people or citizens who have dual citizenship have used the vacuum and lack of these agreements to benefit from both countries, both the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Turkey, and with the unification of this system, the exchange of data and information is possible. so that he has the right to benefit from pensions, but on the other hand, there is dignified treatment for someone who has worked in both countries or in one country and decides to move", said Murati.

The government has also approved the draft law for the ratification of amendment no. 2 of the Financial Agreement between the Republic of Kosovo and the European Union for the IPA 2016 Program, through which the deadline for the implementation of the annual IPA 2016 program is extended for two additional years in order to implement projects that have faced delays. The Government's work regulations, the Report on the ex-post evaluation of the Law on Misdemeanors have also been approved. 

Two million and 870 thousand euros have been allocated to the Ministry of Regional Development for the support of 25 capital projects in 25 municipalities, and 200 thousand euros to the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure for the realization of the project through agreements with the bodies of the United Nations Organization .

Funds have also been allocated for the Kosovar-American Fund for Education. In order to, as has been said, promote the country, 100 euros have been allocated to this fund.

Meanwhile, property expropriations have been made for several projects, such as the one for the construction of the Detention Center and Correctional Institution in Prizren, for the construction of the Cerkolez-Rakosh regional road in Istog, and for the conservation, restoration and construction of the memorial complex "Reçaku Massacre" ” in Extras.

Likewise, through the decision of the Government, the central public enterprise "New Energy Enterprise of Kosovo" was dissolved. 

Murat after DASH's reaction to the action in the north: Any action based on legality

The Minister of Finance, Labor and Transfers, Hekuran Murati, in the conference held after the Government meeting, spoke about the Police action in the north of Kosovo, where 6 units of the Postal Savings Bank were closed and 1.6 million euros and over 74 million dinars were confiscated. . 

Murat said that there was a well-founded suspicion that financial activity was taking place there in violation of the law.

He also commented on the reaction of the US State Department, according to which the action in the north was uncoordinated and escalates tensions. Murat has said that he is not aware of the details of the reaction, but that according to him, every action in the north was based on legality. 

"I am not aware of the details of DASH's reaction, however, every action is based on legality", said Murati.