Prishtina, 05.03. 2012 – The Government of Kosovo is taking all measures necessary to reduce all barriers and facilitate the introduction of new businesses in Kosovo and to invigorate the private sector, said the Minister of Economic Development, Besim Beqaj.

Beqaj made these comments during a meeting with French businessmen, while informing them on the country’s economic development, projects and the vision of the Government of Republic of Kosovo on its economic development.

“We had a remarkable meeting with the French Ambassador, Mr. Fitou, and the Chairman of the French-Kosovar Chamber of Commerce, with the aim of finding new investment possibilities in the Republic of Kosovo,” said Minister Beqaj.

He claimed that he discussed with the French businessmen on successful practices of French economic interventions in Kosovo, including the engagement of Airport De Lyon in the Prishtina International Airport, as well as the success of ‘Peugeot’ in Kosovo.

“Representatives of the Lyon region, second most significant economically developed region in France, are conducting market researches and seeing what our country and Southeast Europe has to offer to them,” said the MED Head.

Beqaj said that he informed the businessmen on Ministry’s projects in the fields of energy, telecommunications, mining, public utility performance improvement, etc.

For his part, the French Ambassador in Kosovo, Jean Francois Fitou, said that his country remains directly engaged in the economic development sphere, and that the visit of Lyon region businessmen represents yet another activity conducted for this purpose.

“We will do everything in our hands to shed light on Kosovar economic potential. We will do everything in our hands to support governmental institutions, which wish to simplify or remove investment barriers in Kosovo,” said Fitou.

On the other hand, the representative of French businessmen Francois Turcas expressed his willingness to extend the cooperation between the French-Kosovar Chamber of Commerce and the Regional Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises from Lyon and to ensure a pragmatic partnership between the two entities.

Turcas assessed that the economic and industrial element in Kosovo is very similar to the French economic and industrial element, while granting a preliminary notice on the signature of an agreement with the French-Kosovar Chamber of Commerce.