Top Business Concerns 2016: Foreign investors urge for transparency and rule of law in Albania

Albania-The Association of Foreign Investors in Albania strongly demands that each of their concern, highlighted in a survey conducted over the business climate, be taken into consideration.

According to the report titled “Top Business Concerns 2016”, foreign investors in Albania have urged the realization of several key objectives: consistency, transparency and the rule of law.

A survey conducted with 70 major businesses in the country shows that the main problems they face are related to the courts, corruption, inefficiency of the Administrative Court, frequent changes to tax legislation and procedures, and, last but not least, informality.

EU Ambassador in Albania Romana Vlahutin, present at the meeting, said that doubts businesses have about Albanian courts should change once and for all.

According to the report, the doubts that businesses have about courts has increased by 12 percent last year.

But, according to Finance Minister Arben Ahmetaj, the report’s findings are justified by the fact that investors’ expectations are increasing year after year.

According to Ahmetaj, the state institutions do not owe any debt to the foreign business community, while a few years ago the debt was at the level of 220 million euro.

According to the survey, “Top Business Concerns 2016”, a large portion of foreign businesses operating in the country claim that they work in a not very favorable climate.

One element which is stated as a cause for concern by almost all respondents was is the Law on Compulsory Membership in Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

Other addressed elements are: tax inspections and audits, where a persisting problem is the violation of the terms of VAT reimbursement.

Entela Barjamaj/RTV SCAN

*Material i përgatitur nga portali SCAN. Ripublikimi mund të bëhet vetëm kundrejt citimit të autorësisë dhe burimit origjinal.