The government of Kosovo, led by Prime Minister Albin Kurti, approved on Friday draft laws on price caps and mandatory health insurance, which are to be submitted to the Assembly of Kosovo for approval before becoming law.
This marks a renewed effort by Kurti to strengthen these two laws, after the Constitutional Court had previously struck them down during the last four-year mandate.
The draft law on price caps—officially known as the draft law on temporary measures for essential products in cases of market destabilization—comes at a time when a sharp increase in fuel prices in the country has raised concerns about a chain reaction of price hikes, particularly for basic goods.
Within just a few weeks, the price of one liter of diesel at fuel stations in Kosovo has risen to as much as €1.79, compared to €1.33 on March 3, three days after the start of attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Kurti said:
“We are submitting this draft law for approval as a necessary response to a reality and experience our citizens have faced: sudden price increases, uncertainty in the market, and a lack of protection mechanisms.”
According to Kurti, the draft law establishes a necessary balance between the free functioning of the market and the state’s responsibility to protect the public interest in extraordinary situations.
The price cap law had previously been declared invalid by the Constitutional Court in 2023, which ruled that it was not in line with the country’s Constitution.
Minister of Industry, Entrepreneurship, Trade and Innovation, Mimoza Kusari-Lila, stated that the new draft takes into account the Constitutional Court’s recommendations. She explained that it provides for two types of temporary measures: setting trade margins for wholesale and retail sales, and determining maximum allowed prices for basic products.
The previous law, now invalidated, had classified essential goods as grains, bread, flour, rice, pasta, sunflower oil, milk, table salt, eggs, chicken meat, sugar, personal hygiene products, and firewood.
Mandatory Health Insurance Law
The Law on Mandatory Health Insurance was also struck down by the Constitutional Court in January, which found that it had been adopted in an unconstitutional manner.
The court stated that the Assembly had approved the law on December 5, 2024, while committing procedural violations during the legislative process.
Presenting the new draft law on Friday, Minister of Health Arben Vitia described it as “one of the most important initiatives for the future of healthcare in our country.”
He stated that the law will establish Kosovo’s mandatory health insurance fund.
The draft covers the entire population and aims to ensure universal access to basic healthcare services, as well as to improve service quality. It also предусматриes the regulation of health insurance contributions as a funding source for healthcare, in addition to existing state budget financing.
This represents a decade-long effort to introduce mandatory health insurance in the country.
The lack of such a system is believed to have negatively affected all citizens of Kosovo, particularly vulnerable groups such as pensioners and low-income individuals.
Healthcare services in public institutions are provided free of charge only for certain categories, such as children, pensioners, and social cases, while others are required to co-pay. These payments range from €1 to several hundred euros, depending on the service received.
For treatments not available in public institutions, the Health Insurance Fund—managed by the Ministry of Health—covers the costs. However, bureaucratic procedures can delay reimbursement for weeks or even months.
As a result, many citizens are forced to cover expenses themselves, whether in private hospitals or abroad.
Currently, health insurance coverage is available only to those who obtain it through private companies.
The post Fuel Price Increase: Kosovo Government Approves Draft Law on Price Caps appeared first on Euronews Albania.
