Kosovo applies for IMF and World Bank Membership

Prishtina, 14 July 2008 – The Kosovar daily Express writes that ahead of the donors’ conference in Brussels, Kosovo authorities have submitted the application for membership to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB).

“Kosovo institutions have applied for full membership to the IMF and World Bank,” the paper quotes Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi as saying.

Kosovo economy and finance minister Ahmet Shala said that he was certain that the World Bank and International Monetary Fund would accept the applications. Shala said that there were no obstacles to Kosovo joining the two institutions because countries that had recognised Kosovo as independent had more than 60 per cent of “financial weight” in the institutions.

Since Kosovo broke with Serbia, 42 nations have recognized its independence, including the U.S. and 20 of the 27 EU members.

ECIKS