On 27 and 28 April 2023, at the invitation of the Minister of Finance, Labour and Transfers of Kosovo, Mr. Hekuran Murati, the Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO), Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, visited Pristina, Kosovo. He met with political leaders and the Customs management team, led by the Director General of Kosovo Customs, Mr. Agron Llugaliu, to review the progress of Customs reform and modernization and to explore further possibilities for expanding cooperation.
Dr. Mikuriya met the Minister of Finance, Labour and Transfers of Kosovo, Mr. Hekuran Murati, who appreciated the WCO’s support in modernizing Customs, recalling that Customs duties and taxes are the major sources of revenue for the country, but that it also contributes to improving the business environment. He went on to meet the Minister of Internal Affairs of Kosovo, Mr. Xhelal Sveçla, who introduced the National Center for Border Management where Customs and Police share information and conduct joint risk assessment, together with food and sanitary agencies. In appreciation of WCO Secretary General’s visit to his country, Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Dr. Besnik Bislimi, met with Dr. Mikuriya on 2 May at the WCO Secretariat in Brussels, Belgium.
Secretary General Mikuriya was also received by the President of Kosovo, Dr. Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, who pledged her political commitment to continuously improving Customs performance through anti-smuggling and rule of law, as well as achieving the highest international standards of Customs management.
The WCO Secretary General also visited the Customs Headquarters to interact with Customs management team and observe the use of technology in Customs clearance and control at borders. He had visited the Border Crossing Point (BCP) at Merdare to observe the modern infrastructure and also visited the BCP at Vermica, bordering Albania, where he was joined by the Albanian Director General of Customs, Mr. Genti Gazheli. With the two Directors General of Customs, he observed the one-stop border operation zone where border procedures of both Albania and Kosovo take place.
During his stay, Dr. Kunio Mikuriya gave a lecture at the University of Pristina, elaborating on the WCO’s theme of the year and engaging in dialogue with the students. He talked about the importance of nurturing the next generation and promoting a culture of knowledge-sharing and professional pride, which is highly relevant to educational institutions. Dr. Mikuriya also spoke at the national television to raise public awareness of Customs’ contribution to the sound economic development.