TIRANA, April. 24 – The creation of the National registration Center, as an autonomous decision-maker entity as the result of a project undertaken by the Ministry of the Economy, is expected to facilitate the procedures and lower the number of days required for a new business to be open. The process of registration hence becomes entirely administrational instead of a complex and long trail of administrative and judicial steps. The registration will be in one day and entirely electronically, hence more accountable to the government.
A problematic past record
In 2006, according to a report published by the World Bank, “Doing Business 2006” the average time to register a new activity was 39 days, the number of procedures was 11 and the cost was about $ 580. There is a slight improvement in the last indicator which for 2005 was $ 647.For Macedonia the record was much better with only 18 days necessary and a cost of $ 267. Bulgaria ranked lower with 32 days needed and a cost of $ 270.Turkey has shown considerable improvements in the field lowering the required time form 48 to 9 days in a drastic move to assist the private sector. Other countries such as Croatia, Poland and Hungary implement facilitated conditions of employment to starting business in order to increase the local production capacities.
Responsibility assigning
The facts were confirmed by Minister Genc Ruli who blamed the difficulties faced by Albanian businessman on the administration and its low professional capacities. Ruli explained that this grave problem was a priority in his sector. The problem is impeding foreign investment and there is no culture of providing services yet. Ruli said that the administration corrodes the effect of progressive governmental initiatives by not providing the necessary operational structure of implementation. These problems have been seen in the sector of construction, land management, and more severely at the customs and taxation offices. Ruli mentioned the signed agreement with the United Sates government about the Millennium Challenge on the 3rd of April 2006 that includes three major projects. One of them is specifically the improvement of the registration legal framework and the facilitation of the conditions for market-entering businesses.
