Berisha propagates ‘Albania 1 euro’ idea

TIRANA, Sept. 4 – Prime Minister Sali Berisha has been involved in an almost daily propagation of the ‘Albania 1 euro’ project he launched late last month. Meeting professors of the Faculty of Economics, Tirana University Monday, Berisha said the government paid special attention to their opinion on that project and also other suggestions. He repeated that his government aimed at making the tiny Balkan country, one of Europe’s poorest, as the most attractive one for foreign direct investment, which in fact ank it at the end of the list. The premier acknowl3dged that poverty is widespread in the country, that also is fsuffering from brain drain ebcause of lack of jobs, with an infrastructure he considered as belonging to the ‘third or fourth world countries’. “Albania cannot be only the metropolis of Tirana and Durres,” he said, continuing saying that salaries and pensions did not allow people to normally cope with life. “There is no other alternative other than swticching on engines of fast economic growth.”
Albania has great potentials and Berisha said the country should catch up with the lost time in attracting foreign investment, establishing the rule of law, fighting corruption and resolving property ownership. Rule of law was the premier goal, where there have been undertaken serious steps lately, according to Berisha. The government was also involved in an intensive fight against corruption, or kleptocracy, the real cancer, as he called it. Fight against fiscal evasion and smuggling was another goal. In that context, the government was prepared to reconsider and simplify all the procedures of taxation, registration and economic itnegrity, a ‘continuous fiscal reform.’ Berisha said his government aimed at equal, or bottom tax installation, the lowest in Europe, which he considered a strong and serious test to the executive.
Fighting informal economy was launched since at least a month. Lowering taxes, like that of electricity, was a rgeat step ahead, together with lowering the payment by 30 percent of the insurance consitrubtion and 13 percent the income tax. Naturally, added the premier, they would collabroate with the International Monetary Fund that serves as the reference point to anything and that should allow such fast procedures. The IMF checks the government finances and helps it keep inflation and macroeconomic growth under attention.
The ‘Albania 1 euro’ project aimed at making the country’s great values like labor market, natural resources, its geographic position be speedily put at the disposal of a fast economic growth. “The ‘Albania 1 euro’ initiative is an appeal we make to investors who think of investing to Albania,” he said. Albania would become the cheapest to invest the money because of the price and also the amrket stndards it offers, he said.
Albania may build hundreds of small hydropower stations at a time of energy crisis. Albania has the most dynamic labor force. Many facilities will be offered to the investors. Albania has more than 100,000 hectares of land, that has not been accepted by old owner for restitution. The albanian farmer has refuised that because he earns more when working abroad than in his land, according to the prime minister.