Invest in GJILAN GNJILANE MUNICIPALITY OF GJILAN GNJILANE

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1 Invest in GJILAN GNJILANE MUNICIPALITY OF GJILAN GNJILANE

2 2 Invest in GJILAN GNJILANE For Contact Details Visit us at: Layout and Design: Photography: Komuna Gjilan / Blerta Zabërgja

3 3 SERBIA Mitrovicë/Mitrovica MONTENEGRO Pristina 3HMs 3Hý Gjilan/Gnjilane *MDNRYs ĂDNRYLFD Ferizaj/Uroševac Prizren/Prizren ALBANIA MACEDONIA

4 4 Foreword by Mayor The Municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane has prioritizedlarge investments in road infrastructure in urban areas as well as rural areas. We are improving existing green areas and are adding new ones constantly. The city is increasing the number of schools. The water supply system and sanitation has greatly improved. All these investments have made citizens feel better in the districts where they live. Taxes are being used to invest in projects that improve citizens welfare, wherever they live. The municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane, in many areas, is the fi rst municipality in Kosovo regarding the collection of own source revenues, and the effi ciency of budget spending, Other municipal activities include: Increases in the use of technologies; Creation of an effi cient business environment; Perfection is attained in planning and environment; Repatriation and re-integration are taking place in our everyday life; The administration provides the most effi cient services. All taxpayers are treated equally, since without taxes there is no guaranteed success for development. Grants from the national government and various donors are creating preconditions for the development of the municipality; development will be more rapid in the forthcoming years. Major projects are underway, including the replacement of main water supply pipes, sewage, storm water catchment construction, replacement of asphalt, sidewalks, public lighting throughout the city, and the city s main entrances, on three sides. To increase tourism, the municipality is planning to build many cultural buildings and museums are made with the purpose of increasing tourism. The municipality has created preconditions for investment through public-private partnerships. These are important prerequisites for stimulating investment and employment opportunities. Thank you! Mr. Qemajl Mustafa Mayor of Municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane

5 Country Data 5 Kosovo Southeastern Europe, the heart of the Balkans, time zone GMT+1. Part of Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) Geo-strategic position: on the crossroads of the European corridors 7 and 10 main link between Europe and Asia. Four neighboring countries: Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. Territory: 10,887 km2 surrounded by mountains and divided into two sub-regions of a similar size and population, plain land, Mild-continental climate, average temperatures: in January -5 C, in June 24 C with favorable precipitation. Kosovo has one of the most favorable business conditions in the region. Based on World Bank s Doing Business Report indicators, the Government of Kosovo has taken on a thorough reform initiative to improve the business environment. More specifically, the government has: Eliminated the business license Reduced the required documentation for exports and imports Eliminated business registration tax for all businesses Eliminated the requirement for depositing founding capital for limited liability companies Increased investor protection

6 6 Municipal Profi le The municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilaneis located in the southeastern part of Kosovo in Anamorava region, with an area of 392 km2. Its geographical position connects with other centers of Kosovo and the region. The municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane is bordered: in the northeast with Kamenica (29km), in the south with Viti (20km), in the west with Lipjan and Pristina (47km), in the northeast with Novobërdë (19.5km), while in the southeast with Presheva (33km) and Kumanova (mountains Karadak), east of Bujanovac (40.5km). The nearest airport to Gjilan/Gnjilane is the Pristina International Airport and is 60 km away, accessable by the regional road to Pristina. The second nearest Airport is Skopje Airport, which is 80 km away in Macedonia. Waterways that connect the Municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane are the Adriatic Seaport of Durres (320 km) and Shengjin (290 km)that provide good services as ports for cargo carriers. The municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane is connected through the recently built highway of Pristina - Tirana - Durrës. According to the recent census conducted by the Statistical Offi ce of Kosovo (April 2011) Gjilan/Gnjilane municipality has 90,015 inhabitants, excluding citizens abroad. The municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane is cultural, economic and educational center of the region, especially with the opening and modernization of communication arteries between the boundary with Serbia and Macedonia. The major part of the landscape is comprised of good conditions for agriculture and is known as an agro-industrial area. In the southeast, The Karadak Mountains and the plain part of Kosovo has been distinguished as a high fertility fi eld. It has a middle continental climate, with hot summers and cold winters. The average January temperature is -2 degrees, while that of July is 21.5 degrees. In autumn, there is on average around 177 mm rain fall, and in summer 129 mm. The city has an altitude of 501 to 590m, while the region from 475m, in Budrikë, up to 1,000m, on the border with Macedonia (Stançiq).Neighborhoods of Municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane are rich in minerals sources (iron and lucid). The municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane is a young municipality with and open and friendly administration ready to signifi cantly push forward projects for economic development and improve services to its citizens. Its strategy for the development of the municipal administration is focused on:

7 Improving maintenance and waste disposal; Effi cient public transport; Very good hospitality of the local population; Very good cooperation among communities (Albanian, Serb, Roma etc.); Suitable spots for camping and picnics; Multi-lingual tour guides for efficient communication with tourists; Development of rural tourism; Vision and strategic plan for promotion of agriculture; Training and information centers; 7

8 8 Municipal Administration Local Governance in the municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane is comprised of two bodies: Municipal Assembly (legislature) - the highest institution of local government, which consists of a plenum and permanent committees; and the municipality, as an executive body, consisting of the Mayor s offi ce and the Municipal Directors and staff. The Mayor is the highest executive of the municipality and is elected directly by popular vote for a four year term which means that local elections are organized every four years according to the Law on Local Elections 2008/03-L072. The current mayor in the Municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane is Mr. Qemajl Mustafa. Economic Development Department The municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane has established its Department for Economic Development, which: Develops of local economic strategy in line with regional and central levels; Creates appropriate measures to further promote the overall economic development of the municipality; Designs plans and promote local and foreign investments; Provides direct advice for businesses on opportunities to invest their capital in productive activities; Provides services for business registration and counseling; Cooperation and coordination of projects related to Public Private Partnerships; Preservation of agricultural land; Monitors and implement policies and development programs; Keeps records for land, property and assets of the municipality Organizes fairs to promote products and services to businesses; Municipal Business Center Gjilan/Gnjilane has also established a Municipal Business Center with the aim of decentralizing competencies for the registration of businesses and handling their affairs. The center is responsible for the: Registration of new businesses (Individual Business, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, joint stock company, foreign company, social enterprise, public enterprise, agricultural cooperative);

9 Re-registration of businesses registered as temporary, Registration of Trade Name which can be used by any type of business; Registration of Kosovo businesses working units; Registration of units - representatives of foreign companies in Kosovo, Registration of changes in information that have been registered with provisional registration certifi cates; Issue of notes and authentication of copies of documentation from the business register; Cooperation with Statistical Offi ce, Tax Administration Offi ces and Agencies. 9

10 10 Natural Resources, Tourism, and Competitive Advantages The municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane is known as an agroindustrial municipality and is suitable for agriculture, forestry, light industrial processing, construction and services industries. Our aims is to build good preconditions for investments in agriculture and industry in general. We are looking forward to encouraging investment from local and foreign investors. Most of the agricultural activities are well known: Arboriculture and Planting - Fruits and vegetables under agricultural production, and postindustrial plants will record the most dynamic growth rate. This will happen through the stimulation of the private sector for planting of seedlings and fruit orchards, and building new greenhouses. Livestock is the fastest growing sector. This includes the production of milk and meat subproducts, increased livestock and improved animal breeds. Beekeeping - is closely connected with orchards and the cultivation of fl owers and herbs in the village s surroundings. Due to the long term experience of the people in this region, trading is another popular activity and very promising for business in the future.

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12 12 Investment Locations The municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane owns its Municipal Development Plan that consists of several identifi ed locations which can be referred to for the all vacant land and enables the swift economic development in the future. The current developing companies have different profi les and are running various business activities which are contributing heavily to empower the development of various business activities. Joint Industrial Zone with the Municipality of Novobërdë/Novo Brdo The municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane shares a joint Industrial Zone with the municipality of Novobërdë/Novo Brdo. This Industrial Zone agreement is in line with inter-municipal cooperation for building various own-will partnerships based on the law on Local Governance. This Industrial zone is located in Llabjan in the crossroad of the regional road between Gjilan/Gnjilane and Pristina and regional road of Pristina Novobërdë/Novo Brdo - Kamenicë/Kamenica Ranilug/Ranillug which leads to the border with Serbia. The total area of this zone is m 2, and is located in Koznica.

13 Municipal Events 13 Cultural life in the Municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane is very rich with traditional activities organized every year with a large number of citizens participating in these activities. There is a large number of religious buildings, including 31 Mosques, nine Orthodox churches, one Catholic church and a Masjid. The National Folk Festival - Municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane is held to preserve and cultivate the Anamorava original folklore, and aims to promote cultural-historical heritage. This festival attracts 13 societies of all our ethnic territories with 1,500 members, who, for three days, perform their repertoire for around spectators. The Annual Book Fair - Launched 21 years ago by the intermunicipal library F. Noli, organizes a Book Fair. The event hosts over 40 editors nationwide, with over 12,000 titles; which increasingly serves as a link strong among authors, publishers and readers.

14 14 Quality of Life There are a large number of enterprises that provide citizens lodging services, traditional and international food, spaces for seminars, trainings and other services. There are seven private commercial banks: Pro-Credit Bank and Bank Raiffeissen, wich are owned by international shareholders, and Private Business Bank, TEB Bank, Commercial Bank and National Commercial Bank which are owned by domestic capital, NLB bank. Also, there are two micro-fi nance non-profi t institutions operating in Gjilan/Gnjilane and FINCA Kosovo Enterprise Program (KEP), which is a micro-credit fi rm for capital. The market town of Gjilan/Gnjilane, established in the 1960s, represents the most important area of the city. Within its scope, the market today offers to citizens: space to sell/buy fruits and vegetables, textile goods, cloth, clothing, jewelry, halftimber products and furniture, milk and dairy products, hand crafts, etc.

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16 This publication was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Democratic and Effective Municipalities Initiative Program in Kosovo. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily refl ect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.