Albanian enterprises have expressed their concern about the highly unfavorable business climate in the country.
In a letter the Independent Association of Albanian Entrepreneurs has declared that Albanian business doesn’t manage to be sufficiently competitive in the region and that Albanian is not attracting foreign investments compared to the rest of the region.
A considerable part of the blame, so the Association argues, is to placed on the monopolies and oligopolies that have been created under guardianship of the state.
In order to improve this situation, the Association makes a number of proposals to the Albanian government, of which the most important as follows:
- Intervention and opening of markets through a fight against monopolies, oligopolies, and cartels, corruption of all types and mainly those of the type “state capture,” in procurement, concession, and privatizations;
- Taking measures for the necessary increase of local investments and especially foreign investments in the national economy;
- Drafting a fiscal politics comparable with the countries in the region, which will help national business become more competitive;
- Improvement of the construction and functioning of the monetary and banking system, which are seen as preconditions for the desired increase of foreign and local investments.
Except the direct influence on the well-being, the Association of Independent Entrepreneurs declares that the improvement of the business climate would make an end to the massive immigration of Albanians to EU countries, the majority of the young workforce.
The unfavorable business climate in Albania has been previously noticed by the IMF, the Foreign Investors Association in Albania, and international reports such as “Doing Business.”
