Economic and European News

Friday Edition – 16 January 2004

Translated by UNMIK/EUMIK Department of Public Affairs

Kosova Sot

Professor Henry Perritt: Privatisation was turned upside down by Lambsdorff and Fucci

‘Ahmet Shala, John Johnson and the others at KTA were great and carried out a very successful privatisation until Marie Fucci came as the Managing Director of KTA, who overshadowed them. I am convinced that Lambsdorff and Fucci want to overthrow what Ahmet Shala and the others at the KTA did. Every delay is a disgrace for both of them, so the way they came together that’s how they should leave. Imagine, when they came privatisation was going fine, and look at this process now….very complicated and hopeless if they keep managing it’, Henry Perrit, professor of legal rights at Technological Institute of Illinois, Chicago, is quoted as saying.

‘I want to stress another thing, when Lambsdorff came as the Head of Pillar IV he should have said that he doesn’t have a proper experience to lead this function, and not to decide to block privatisation himself,’ Perrit is further quoted as saying.

Perrit said he does not see any legal problem that would prevent moving forward and he is surprised with the checkmate position the process is in, considering the successful beginning. He believes that the more the restart of privatisation is delayed the more potential investors will lose interest in investing in Kosovo. The delay according to Perrit is explained with the fact that: ‘UNMIK does not have a leadership for economy that would speed up the economic development, or their approach is not professional…it might be influenced by politics.’

‘If the privatisation fails than this would be a failure for Kosovo, UN and all internationals here. If this happens than KTA management should be held accountable, those not doing anything should be removed from the posts,’ states Perrit in an exclusive interview for Kosova Sot.