Digitization that we (don't) have

For countries like Kosovo - which have low and medium incomes - new digital technologies offer opportunities to diversify economies, create new jobs, transform agriculture and improve the health and education systems. This means that the less developed economies can move to a stage of technological development and thus get closer to the economies of the more developed countries.

The visit that Prime Minister Albin Kurti made to Silicon Valley in the USA should be a reflection on the very complex situation in terms of digitization that we have in Kosovo. You can visit and organize meetings with top technology companies, but the situation on the ground leaves much to be desired - starting from the lack of a clear legal basis in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), fiscal packages to digitalization of existing processes. (A part of them are out of order, not to forget the issue of the state domain, secure communications, digital signature, etc.)

The ICT sector is among the most developed and successful sectors, thanks to the work of young people and their dedication to building partnerships with international companies. This sector has also helped in the promotion of digital Kosovo and professional youth around the world. This opportunity should be used precisely by our institutions, to attract more investors to our country.

Possible cooperation with companies such as Linkedin, Microsoft, Uber, Aribnb, Netflix, etc. it is necessary and indispensable, but there are also many other American companies that have employed hundreds of engineers from Kosovo - either with offices in our country or with remote work - which should be visited. (Or, to expand the Government's team with local companies from Kosovo that export services to America.)

We do not have - if we can say issues/problems with the companies visited - so I am listing some of the services we receive from American companies, such as:

Linkedin lists Kosovo and all its services can be used, including geolocation.

Microsoft is among the first large companies to have its own representative in Kosovo.

The Airbnb platform enables the citizens of Kosovo to do business.

Netflix has opened the channel for subscriptions from Kosovo.

Uber can be invited to do business in Kosovo, but beforehand it is good to analyze the reactions of the taxi associations - the things that have happened in different countries of the world

We must be self-critical that, even if these companies are ready to invest in Kosovo, we do not have the technical, human, or infrastructural capacities to support them. Clearly, in the trends we live in, technology companies invest in countries where at least the human capacity is ready for the labor market, which we currently do not have, and I think it is pointless and disingenuous for them to come recruiting trained staff of existing Kosovar companies. This would establish them with little investment and would damage or destroy the Kosovar companies that have invested in staff. Because, in the financial aspect of salaries and benefits, we cannot fight with such companies.

The visited companies should be invited to Kosovo to first invest in the training of young people and their preparation for the labor market, while the government can help at this point by providing them with space, infrastructure and other benefits - according to the agreement.

Everything can be a golden opportunity for Kosovo, but it remains only a possibility if we do not have the finalization of any concrete agreement, professional teams during the visits, as well as greater transparency.

The government team, before leaving for Silicon Valley, had to at least re-functionalize the digital equipment for issuing certificates, cancel the decision on the production of cryptocurrencies, set deadlines for the construction of the center in Bërnica - including fiscal facilities for ICT etc.

On the other hand, it is important to note that visits to global companies should be based on existing strategies and, unfortunately, the 2016-2022 strategy has already expired and a large number of objectives have not only not been achieved, but also that started work on them.