Kryeministri i Republikës së Kosovës, Albin Kurti, mëngjesin e sotëm, zhvilloi një bashkëbisedim me studentët e Akademisë Diplomatike të Vjenës, të cilët po qëndrojnë për një vizitë studimore në Kosovë.
Teksa i’u uroi mirëseardhje në shtetin tonë, kryeministri Kurti tha se edukimi është një mjet i fuqishëm që ndërton baza për bashkëpunim të mirë, siç është rasti me marrëdhëniet e veçanta mes Kosovës dhe Austrisë.
Në kuadër të këtij bashkëbisedimi, ai trajtoi elementet që dëshmojnë potencialin e Kosovës për zhvillim, teksa më pas përmendi dhe lansimin e djeshëm të platformës “Made in Kosova”.
Kryeministri Kurti shprehu se qeveria është e përkushtuar në ndërmarrjen e reformave politike e ekonomike me synim rritjen e transparencës dhe krijimit të kushteve të favorshme për investitorë lokal e ndërkombëtarë.
Ai theksoi disa prej politikave të ndërmarra të cilat kanë patur synim ndikimin në përmirësimin e jetës së të gjithë qytetarëve pa dallim, si dhe evidentoi disa prej të arriturave në indikatorët makroekonomikë, si dyfishimi i eksporteve apo edhe ai i investimeve të huaja direkte në tri vitet e fundit.
Fjala e plotë e Kryeministrit Kurti në gjuhën angleze:
Honorable Ambassador Schnetzer,
Honorable Dean Berxulli,
Honorable Professor Thomas Raw,
Dear students of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna,
It is a pleasure to be with you here today and welcome such a diverse and talented group of students and future leaders from around the world, here in Kosova. It is great to be the host again of this storied academy in such a young country.
I know you arrived yesterday, but I hope that you managed to start enjoying our country already. I have spoken to graduates of your academy last year also, and I like this tradition that we’re building. For the record, when the country is 16 years old, you call two years in a row a tradition.
Education is a powerful tool that not only bridges gaps between cultures and people but also builds a foundation for understanding and cooperation. This tool is especially evident in the relations Kosova has with Austria. Kosova and Austria share a special bond in education, strengthened by numerous programs and academic exchanges which have enriched the educational landscape of both our countries since the 1990s when Austria began welcoming Albanian students.
Back then we had this underground University after the abolishment of the autonomy we have been expelled from official premises of University and it was Austria first who recognized our diplomas and we can never forget that.
Our resistance during occupation had at its forefront education system, professors and students who were leading the resistance, which for many years was peaceful and in the end armed as well, prior to NATO intervention which stopped finally Serbian genocide and enabled liberation of our country.
Kosova has huge potential, and our government is driven to harness it in a way that honours all the citizens and the environment as well.
A small size and a young country also demand novel approaches to diplomacy. Yesterday, for example, we launched a platform called MIK, which has the double meaning of “friend” in Albanian, MIK means friend and stands for Made-In-Kosova, as acronym, as abbreviation for Made in Kosova. MIK is a well-designed and information-rich site that provides a curated overview of the ten key sectors of our country, our cultural activities here and abroad, and invites companies to book their visit and get in touch with the government. So, what we lack in tradition we make up for in creativity and genuine will.
Diplomacy is very important because a small and a young country like ours, is not great because of its size it represents or because of its history that has been playing along, in a difficult geopolitical context. What makes a young and a small country powerful is what it symbolizes and the values that it holds, and the strength of those values and the importance of that representation are fostered through partnerships with friends and diplomatic means.
In our country’s vision and values are those of creating and growing a social democracy, whose economic power is accelerated but well distributed at the same time. Our government is committed to robust economic and political reforms aimed at enhancing governments transparency and creating a favorable climate for both local and international investors. Among other initiatives with introduced childcare subsidies, made public higher education free of charge and improved housing conditions for ethnic minority communities and those in need across the board.
Foreign direct investment and exports have doubled in the past three years while our trade deficit has shrunk by a third. Since 2021 our budget surge is largely driven by a two thirds increase in tax revenues without changes in fiscal policy.
I will stop the solo speaking now and look forward to having a discussion and answering any questions you may have.
Welcome again, for those who have been here before, welcome back! It is a pleasure to be with all of you, and I look forward to our conversation. /Kosovatimes/
