The draft law on price ceilings 'protects consumers - harms businesses'

They approved it again in 2023, but the Constitutional Court rejected it.

After three years, the Kosovo Government voted again in favor of the draft law on price ceilings, as temporary measures for basic products when there is market instability.

For this document to become law, it also needs approval in the Assembly. But, in the meantime, oil prices rose again on Saturday. (view of the pumps)

Even despite the maximum price set by the ministry, a liter of diesel is sold on the market for up to 3 cents more, i.e. 1 euro and 94 cents.

Although this draft law, according to the chief executive, protects consumers, businesses are not agreeing with it.

Agim Shahini, president of the Kosovo Business Alliance, says that through it they are harmed.

"It is an attempt to keep the margins of businesses, their profits, under control. At the same time, trying to keep inflation under control. But this is an intervention in the market economy," said Shahini.

Even though it will regulate the prices of basic products on the market, this draft law does not guarantee functionality, assesses Selatin Kaçaniku from the "Consumer" organization.

"This government is also outdoing us, it is deceiving us with politicization that is populism with a law that if we had a market, there would be no country, if we don't have a consolidated market, we don't have a domestic market, so let's do it...", said Kaçanik.

Kaçanik says that price increases are also bankrupting the middle class of society.

"Now we are warning of the bankruptcy of the middle class of society, which is living on credit lines with overdrafts and no one is listening to us, and more proof that no government communicates with us, so who does it serve?" Kaçanik added.

Economist Egzon Kastrati says that this bill has two sides to the coin.

"Through the law on ceiling prices, they would be protected, because they would be protected from speculative prices that businesses would reduce their products...", said Kastrati.

The previous law, now declared invalid, considered cereals, bread, flour, rice, sunflower oil, milk, table salt, chicken eggs, and firewood as basic products. /RTV Dukagjini/