Kosovo invites Turkish investors for buyouts

ISTANBUL - Anatolia News Agency

Turkey is one of the largest five foreign investors in Kosovo, says Mimoza Kusari Lila, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade and Industry.

Restructuring Kosovo has invited Turkish investors to participate in privatization projects involving telecommunications, tobacco factories, electricity distribution systems and mines.

Turkey is among the top five countries in the world with the most investments in Kosovo, Mimoza Kusari Lila, Kosovan deputy premier and minister of trade and industry, told Anatolia news agency on the sidelines of the Kosovo-Turkish Business Forum yesterday.

“Turkish businesspeople have more interest in investing in Kosovo than they do in any other country in the world. Just last year, Turkish entrepreneurs made investments worth 350 million euros in Kosovo,” Lila said. “Foreign investors are jealous of Turkey. Many foreign investors believe that they have to invest in Kosovo as Turkey’s share in the Kosovan market grows.”

Turkey’s influence in the Balkans is growing, according to Lila. “Many companies of Western Europe were active in the Balkans but had to leave the Balkans due to economic conditions in their countries. Turkish companies and investors are replacing the companies of Western Europe in the Balkans.”

“We invite Turkish entrepreneurs to Kosovo so they can participate in privatization projects, including those for the country’s biggest telecommunications and mobile operator Post and Telecommunications of Kosovo, various mines, tobacco factories, thermal regions and textile companies,” Lila said.

The country is also working on privatizing an electricity production plant worth 1.6 billion euros.