Shkumbin Misini, professor of Economics, said that the Kosovo Statistical Agency's data on inflation of 6 percent in February this year compared to last year does not reflect the real situation of price increases in Kosovo.
According to ASK, the price increase was mainly influenced by the increase in the cost of food products, services and some categories of transport. However, according to Professor Misini, the methodology followed by ASK is not appropriate for the economic situation in Kosovo.
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Letter to the Reader — Why We're Asking for Your Support Contribute"Inflation is higher because the method followed by ASK is a methodology followed by the most developed countries in the world, in most variables, including the increase in the price of airline tickets. And we have elementary problems. We are the poorest country in Europe. We have a lack of electricity and comparing ourselves with the same methodology as developed countries does not correspond," he said on the "60 Minutes" show on KTV.
According to Misini, the data should be taken based on the specifics of the country. In the case of Kosovo as a poor country, he said that basic products should be taken as a basis.
"The more products, like plane tickets, the lower the inflation. It's not 6, it's many times higher. If you take it for basic products, it's much, much higher. An example that I gave, in the period 2020-2026, three basic products, sugar, oil and flour, have become more expensive by over 65 percent," he continued.
According to him, Kosovo cannot be compared methodologically to developed countries that have different standards, and for them, travel and vacation are normal. "For us, it is a luxury," he added.
He said he expects 2026 to be challenging in this regard.
According to him, the reasons for the increase in product prices in recent years are the war in Ukraine and Western sanctions against Russia, the increase in energy prices and the increase in the minimum wage. He said that from the first point, Kosovo suffers because it is an importing country. On the issue of the increase in energy prices, he said that it has gone on a chain, making other products more expensive. While on the minimum wage, he said that its increase "without an increase in productivity, produces inflation". According to him, the increase in the minimum wage should be made in proportion to productivity.