Kosova or Kosovo, we were a lot on TV some 20 years ago, were bored so a war sounded like a good idea at the time!
Several issues:
The only income for the country is import tax, that gives way to two extreme problems, 1 the customs will try to ripp off anyone they can anyway they can and 2 or the really sickening part of it, last years revenue from import tax was over 1.3 billion and that implies that 4 times that amount of money got out of the country never to return as we export nothing! That is only the legal part, it is safe to assume that the actual amount is at least 3 times higher .
There are 184 countries that recognised this country, yet most of them still do not list it for anything!
Etc.
There are aslo a lot of good things here, and compared to other surounding countries, we are the friendliest. There is very litle theft compared to any country, especialy compared to the surounding countries. There are no tourist scams here, so luckily a lot of them come every year despite having mediocre nature and nothing special in any way shape or form. Prices are low, a decent meal in a restaurant costs from 2 ( yes two euro for daily menu, with fries and salad and soup and plenty of meat ) to 8 euros, good hotels are from 40 euro upwards, there are several 5 star hotels, etc etc. During summer there are more Lamborghini's and Ferrari's here than in Monaco, and hands down we can beat any country on earth for good cars compared to GDP! We are sick bastards who buy way more expensive cars (and phones ) than we can afford. 10000 square Kilometers, 1.7 million people, over 2000 gas stations ! Beat that!
And while we are at it, we are Kosovar Albanians , there are Albania Albanians and most people here do not like putting us in the same bag, and to explain the difference leta me tell you a story...
3 years ago at a gas station near my house came a lot of old cars ( there is a race that starts in England with very old cars usually over 200 and they drive through Europe ) so I went to ask them if they need any help with any thing and they politely told me that they just need to change a light bulb. After some small talk ( and about 50 locals gathered to admire the cars ) they told me that last year they did pass through Albania but had some minor issues and decided not to drive through there anymore, while here wherever they stopped they where greeted with the same "can we help you" in English, always.
Property tax is low, land is quite cheap but with issues, building is very cheap, income tax is also low, electricity is cheap ( it is amazing I can say that now, it was bloody expensive ) at 5 to 7 euro cents for households and 13 to 15 cents for industrial use, power outs are rare ( again compared to neighbouring countries very rare ) etc etc etc.
But for outside investors it is bad, as you have to really know who to deal with or will be asked huge amounts of money and give up altogether. It is easy to start a business just by asking the municipality for a permit and move on to work, but asking the government will surely raise some eyebrows' and the hair on the neck!
I did notice a lot of " off topic" going on in the forums lately, I got infected!
Sorry and thank you, all.
