Finance minister's departure to have little impact, experts believe
17/01/2013
Bedri Hamza has not ruled out applying for governorship of the Kosovo Central Bank.
By Linda Karadaku for Southeast European Times in Pristina -- 17/01/13
 Finance Minister Bedri Hamza may apply for a position in the Kosovo Central Bank. [Laura Hasani/SETimes] |
The resignation of Kosovo Finance Minister Bedri Hamza is not expected to alter the financial policies for the Balkan state, analysts said.
Hamza resigned Monday (January 14th) for family and personal reasons, according to a news release that lauded what Hamza called his successes as minister -- the preservation of the macro-fiscal stability and completion of the obligations of the Stand-by program that Kosovo has with the IMF.
"The fulfillment of these obligations had not only made it possible to have the issuing of funds from the World Bank and the IMF, but it has also resulted in Kosovo being the most successful country in the region regarding the macro-fiscal stability and economic growth," Hamza said.
A replacement has not been named.
Ibrahim Rexhepi, executive director of the Kosovo Center for Strategic and Social Research, told SETimes that the finance minister has little role in setting economic policies, and serves primarily as a "cashier of the government."
A change in leadership will have little impact on the nation's financial situation, he said.
Avni Zogiani, executive director of Kosovo NGO Cohu (Stand Up), said he believed that Hamza will land at the Kosovo Central Bank or take a key role in Democratic Party (PDK) headed by Prime Minister Hashim Thaci.
"This also creates space for the PDK to start some changes in the government to accommodate the AAK (the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo of Ramush Haradinaj) in a coalition, which according to all chances, will happen," Zogiani told SETimes.
Hamza did not rule out a governorship at the central bank.
"I have not applied yet. The position is opened to apply for one week more. I will definitely decide during this time," Hamza told reporters on Tuesday.
But Merita Mustafa, programme manager at the Kosovo Democratic Institute/Transparency International, said all players, including the parliament and other state mechanisms should be engaged and mobilised for a real control of the public finances, despite the latest development.
"Why not, even the common citizens (be engaged and mobilised) who build every day the state budget with their taxes," Mustafa told SETimes.
Mustafa pointed out that the finance ministry administer the finances, but does not have much of an impact in lowering the level of corruption.
"It's the government that takes decisions and it can do more to fight corruption. The government can take a decision to increase the budget for the institutions that have competences in fighting corruption, institutions that have urgent need to be strengthened and it can also take additional measures to undertake reforms," she told SETimes.
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