Bedri Hamza

Bedri Hamza (born 8 November 1963) is a politician and administrator in Kosovo. He has been the Republic of Kosovo's finance minister on two occasions, served three terms in the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, was governor of the Central Bank of Kosovo from 2013 to 2017, and is the current mayor of South Mitrovica. Hamza is a prominent member of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK).

Early life and career

Hamza was born to a Kosovo Albanian family in the village of Klina e Epërme in the municipality of Skenderaj, in what was then the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija in the Socialist Republic of Serbia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. He graduated from the historical University of Pristina's Faculty of Economics in 1987 and later received a master's degree from the post-1999 institution of the same name on the topic, "Problems of improving the fiscal system of the Republic of Kosovo." He has taken doctoral studies at the University of Tirana in Albania.

Hamza was head of accounting and finance at Trepča Lead Metallurgy in Mitrovica from 1987 to 1990. He worked in the private sector from 1990 to 1998 and led the Mitrovica municipal assembly's directorate of public services from 2000 to 2003.[1][2]

Politician and administrator

Hamza was a candidate on the PDK's electoral list for Mitrovica in the 2002 Kosovan local elections. Online sources do not indicate if he served in the local assembly afterward.[3]

He appeared in the eighty-first position on the PDK's list in the 2004 Kosovan parliamentary election and was not elected when the list won thirty seats.[4][5] The PDK was in opposition from 2004 to 2008, and Hamza served on the party's shadow cabinet with responsibility for finance and economy.[6] In 2006, he was a member of Kosovo's delegation to Vienna for discussions with the Republic of Serbia on economic issues.[7]

Deputy minister (2008–11)

Hamza was given the fifty-fifth position on the PDK's list in the 2007 parliamentary election. Parliamentary elections in Kosovo are held under open list proportional representation, and he finished in fortieth place among the party's candidates.[8] The list won thirty-seven mandates, and he was not elected. Due to a requirement that one-third of seats be reserved for female candidates, he was also not immediately in line for a replacement mandate.

The PDK and the rival Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) formed a coalition government after the 2007 election. In January 2008, Hamza was appointed as Kosovo's deputy minister of economy and finance.[9] In June of the same year, he and Albanian economy, trade, and energy minister Genc Ruli announced an agreement on cooperation for electrical power.[10] Later in 2008, Hamza announced that Kosovo's government would not allow its borders to operate on United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) regulations.[11]

Hamza said in a 2009 interview that investment in energy, roads, and private sector were necessary strategic steps to boost economic growth in Kosovo. He added that years of high growth would be needed to address issues of endemic poverty, saying, "To reduce poverty and unemployment we need to have economic growth of more than eight percent for the next six or seven years."[12]

He had the opportunity to enter the Kosovo assembly in March 2010 but instead continued to serve as a deputy minister. He would not have been able to hold both positions simultaneously under a dual mandate.[13]

Finance minister (first time: 2011–13)

The PDK–LDK coalition fell apart in late 2010, and a new parliamentary election was held in December of that year. Hamza was again included on the PDK's electoral list and this time finished in eleventh place among its candidates. The PDK won thirty-four seats, and he was elected to the assembly.[14][15] His first term as a legislator as brief; the PDK formed government after the election, and Hamza was appointed as Kosovo's finance minister on the day the assembly convened.[16]

As minister, Hamza pursued a privatization strategy for Kosovo Telecom.[17] In April 2011, he signed an agreement with Zoran Stavreski, the finance minister for the Republic of Macedonia (now North Macedonia), on double taxation avoidance and protection from tax evasion.[18] The following year, he signed an agreement with Turkish finance minister Mehmet Şimşek to collaborate on mutual tax relations.[19]

Governor of the Central Bank of Kosovo (2013–17)

Hamza was appointed as governor of the Central Bank of Kosovo on 14 March 2013.[20] His appointment was controversial. Opposition parties argued that the bank's autonomy would be compromised with a leading PDK figure as its governor, and Ismet Beqiri of the LDK charged that it would become a private bank of the PDK and government.[21] This notwithstanding, Hamza served in the role for the next four and a half years.

Finance minister (second time: 2017–20)

Hamza resigned as governor of the central bank on 13 September 2017 to return to the office of finance minister.[22] In February 2018, he helped to facilitate a European Union grant of 38.5 million Euros for the upgrade of Kosovo's railway system.[23]

In 2018, the Republic of Kosovo introduced a punitive one hundred per cent tariff on goods from Serbia, as a means of pressuring Serbia for a comprehensive deal that would include recognition of Kosovo as an independent country. In January 2019, Hamza said that Serbia's revenues had fallen by eighty million Euros as a result of the tariff and that the Republic of Kosovo was working to prevent what it described as smuggling from Serbia.[24]

Parliamentarian (2019–2021)

Hamza received the eighth position on the PDK's list in the 2019 Kosovan parliamentary election, finished in sixth place among the party's candidates, and was elected to a second term in the assembly when the list won twenty-four seats.[25][26] The PDK served in opposition in the parliament that followed. In his second term, Hamza was head of the PDK's parliamentary group, the chair of the public finance oversight committee, and a member of the committee on budget and transfers.[27][28][29]

He was promoted to the fourth position on the PDK list in the 2021 parliamentary election, finished in third place, and was re-elected when the list won nineteen seats.[30][31] The party continued to serve in opposition. Hamza became a deputy speaker of the assembly in 2021.

Mayor of South Mitrovica (2021–present)

Hamza was elected as mayor of South Mitrovica in the 2021 Kosovan local elections, defeating incumbent Agim Bahtiri of Vetëvendosje in the first round of voting. By virtue of having won this position, he resigned from parliament on 1 November 2021.[32]

One of Hamza's main promises in the 2021 local election was construction of the proposed "Ali Zeneli" road. The project was formally launched in August 2023, notwithstanding that it was not supported by the Republic of Kosovo government.[33]

Electoral record

Local (South Mitrovica)
2021 Kosovan local elections: Mayor of South Mitrovica
CandidatePartyVotes%
Bedri HamzaDemocratic Party of Kosovo16,56653.69
Agim Bahtiri (incumbent)Levizja Vetëvendosje!10,65434.53
Armend AgolliDemocratic League of Kosovo3,63611.78
Total30,856100.00
Source: [34]

References
  1. BEDRI HAMZA – Ministër i Financave, Archived 2019-04-28 at the Wayback Machine, Ministry of Finance, Republic of Kosovo, accessed 14 January 2022.
  2. Bedri Hamza – Ekspert i ekonomisë, baba, qytetar krenar i Mitrovicës Archived 2022-01-18 at the Wayback Machine, bedrihamza.com, accessed 17 January 2022.
  3. ZGJEDHJET PËR KUVENDE KOMUNALE 2002 – Fletëvotimet dhe listat e kandidatëve (Mitrovicë), Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, accessed 18 January 2022. He appeared in the fifth position on the party's list, which won fifteen mandates, making it probable that he would have at least had the opportunity to serve.
  4. ZGJEDHJET PËR KUVEND TË REPUBLIKËS SË KOSOVËS 2004 – Fletëvotimi dhe lista e kandidatëve (Lista e Kandidatëve për Zgjedhjet për Kuvend të Kosovës 2004), Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, accessed 27 January 2022.
  5. Periudha e tretë Legjislative (13.12.2007 - 03.11.2010), Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, accessed 17 January 2022.
  6. "Kosovo: Party criticizes government for insufficient spending on investment," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 10 May 2006 (Source: Text of report in English by independent internet news agency KosovaLive).
  7. "Kosovo, Serbian delegations discuss economic issues in Vienna," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 31 May 2006 (Source: text of report in English by independent internet news agency KosovaLive).
  8. ZGJEDHJET PËR KUVEND TË REPUBLIKËS SË KOSOVËS 2007 – Rezultatet dhe Statistikat (Rezultatet e të gjithë kandidatëve), Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, p. 16, accessed 15 January 2022.
  9. "Kosovo PM-designate announces cabinet," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 9 January 2008 (Source: Excerpt from report by Kosovo Albanian privately-owned KohaVision TV, on 9 January).
  10. "Albania, Kosovo agree to boost energy cooperation," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 30 June 2008.
  11. "Kosovo government refuses to allow UN mission to control customs points," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 28 November 2008 (Source: Excerpt from report by Kosovo Albanian privately-owned newspaper Koha Ditore on 27 November).
  12. "After billions in aid, Kosovo still poor and idle," Reuters News, 19 November 2009.
  13. "Five Kosovo ruling party officials with two public offices decide to give up one," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 31 March 2010 (Source: Text of report by Kosovo Albanian privately-owned newspaper Express on 29 March).
  14. ZGJEDHJET E PARAKOHSHME PËR KUVENDIN E REPUBLIKËS SË KOSOVËS 2010 – Rezultatet dhe Statistikat (Rezultatet e të gjithë kandidatëve), Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, p. 54, accessed 2 February 2022. He appeared in the fifty-third position on the list in 2010.
  15. "Kosovo election commission releases final results for parliamentary election," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 1 February 2011 (Source: Text of report of Kosovo Albanian privately-owned newspaper Express on 31 January).
  16. TRANSKRIPT I MBLEDHJES SË JASHTËZAKONSHME PLENARE E KUVENDIT TË REPUBLIKËS SË KOSOVËS, TË MBAJTUR MË 22.02. 2011, Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, accessed 17 January 2022.
  17. Fatos Bytyci, "Kosovo parliament OKs telecoms sell-off deal," Reuters News, 31 March 2011.
  18. "Macedonia, Kosovo finance ministers sign double taxation avoidance agreement," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 6 April 2011 (Source: Text of report in English by Macedonian state news agency MIA).
  19. "Turkey inks first deal with independent Kosovo," Cihan News Agency (CNA), 10 September 2012.
  20. The appointment was formalized on 26 March 2013. See "Kosovo president approves new c-bank governor," SeeNews - The Corporate Wire, 27 March 2013.
  21. "Kosovo elects ruling party official as central bank governor," Reuters News, 14 March 2013.
  22. "Kosovo's central bank governor resigns," Global Banking News, 13 September 2017.
  23. "EU helps aspirant member Kosovo to modernise railway," Reuters News, 15 February 2018.
  24. "Serbian exports to Kosovo fall by 80mn Euros due to tariffs," bne IntelliNews, 30 January 2019.
  25. ZGJEDHJET E PARAKOHSHME PËR KUVENDIN E REPUBLIKËS SË KOSOVËS 2019 – Rezultatet dhe Statistikat (Rezultatet e të gjithë kandidatëve (renditja si në fletëvotim)), Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, p. 3, accessed 2 February 2022.
  26. ZGJEDHJET E PARAKOHSHME PËR KUVENDIN E REPUBLIKËS SË KOSOVËS 2019 – Rezultatet dhe Statistikat (Ndarja e ulëseve në Kuvend (Subjektet dhe kandidatët e zgjedhur)), Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, p. 5, accessed 14 January 2022.
  27. 120 deputetë - Legjislatura 7, Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, accessed 17 January 2022.
  28. Komisioni për Mbikëqyrjen e Financave Publike [2019–21], Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, accessed 17 January 2022.
  29. "Komisioni për Buxhet dhe Transfere" [2019–21], Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, accessed 17 January 2022.
  30. ZGJEDHJET E PARAKOHSHME PËR KUVENDIN E REPUBLIKËS SË KOSOVËS 2021 – Rezultatet dhe Statistikat (Rezultatet e të gjithë kandidatëve (renditja si në fletëvotim)), Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, p. 27, accessed 21 January 2022.
  31. ZGJEDHJET E PARAKOHSHME PËR KUVENDIN E REPUBLIKËS SË KOSOVËS 2021 – Rezultatet dhe Statistikat (Ndarja e ulëseve në Kuvend (Subjektet dhe kandidatët e zgjedhur)), Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, p. 5, accessed 20 January 2022.
  32. "Bedri Hamza jep dorëheqje nga pozita e nënkryetarit të Kuvendit dhe e deputetit", Telegrafi, 1 November 2021, accessed 17 January 2022.
  33. "Nis ndërtimi i një rruge në Mitrovicë, Krasniqi: Edhe në mungesë të mbështetjes së qeverisë ne s’do të ndalemi", Telegrafi, 19 August 2023, accessed 24 September 2023.
  34. ZGJEDHJET PËR KRYETARË TË KOMUNAVE 2021 – Rezultatet dhe Statistikat (Raundi i parë) – Rezultatet për Kryetar të Komunave, Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, p. 12, accessed 12 January 2022.
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