Latest news with #VjosaOsmaniSadriu
New Straits Times
03-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Malaysia's visa exemption for Kosovars marks new milestone, says President Osmani
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's decision to grant visa-free entry to all citizens of Kosovo for stays of up to 30 days marks a new milestone that will further boost bilateral ties. It is set to be a catalyst that not only will deepen engagements between governments and stimulate two-way trade and business activities, but also in expanding people-to-people exchanges across the multifaceted areas of culture, education, and tourism. Kosovo's President Dr Vjosa Osmani Sadriu said the news has been warmly received by the Kosovars after her government announced that Malaysia is removing these visa restrictions for its citizens recently. "So, this has made quite big news in our country. I am sure that a lot of people will want to visit (Malaysia) now," she told Bernama and RTM in an exclusive interview on Friday, during her official visit to Malaysia. In an X posting on April 25, the President expressed her appreciation to Malaysia for granting visa exemptions to all citizens of the republic for stays of up to 30 days. Osmani said Kosovo removed visa restrictions for Malaysia some time ago, allowing Malaysians to travel to Kosovo without restrictions for up to 90 days, and now Malaysia has reciprocated the move. She said the move is timely and welcome, reflecting Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's personal commitment to strengthening ties between the two countries. "We are looking forward to seeing more and more citizens from our country visiting Malaysia," she said. The President also looks forward to direct flights between Kosovo and Malaysia in the future to ease communication and travel, and boost tourism between the two countries. "Even as we speak, connections are very, very good, mostly through Istanbul, but there are also other connections as well on a daily basis. However, direct flights are always an easier way to expand communication and travel," she added. Osmani said Kosovars mainly travel to Malaysia for tourism, while her country is actively investing in its own tourism sector — especially in highland tourism. She noted that people-to-people ties between Kosovo and Malaysia remain strong, citing Malaysia's steadfast support during Kosovo's most difficult moments in 1999 and its early recognition of the republic's independence in 2008. "And at that time, many countries supported us, and Malaysia was one of the first. Malaysia's support helped Kosovo reconstruct the country," she said. Osmani said Kosovo had to rebuild the nation "from the ashes", and Malaysia played a key role in its peace-building and state-building efforts. "So in all of these phases, Malaysia was with us, and the people of Kosovo are very grateful," she added. Malaysia officially recognised Kosovo on Oct 30, 2008, becoming one of the first Asian countries to do so. Diplomatic relations were formally established on March 18, 2011. In 2024, bilateral trade between the two countries reached RM28.55 million (US$6 million), with Malaysia's exports to Kosovo valued at RM25.92 million (US$5.5 million) and imports at RM2.63 million (US$550,000). Key Malaysian exports include palm oil, electrical and electronic products, and manufactured goods, while imports from Kosovo mainly consist of raw materials and semi-precious stones. The President also hoped her four-day maiden visit would spark stronger interest in Kosovo among Malaysians and help foster closer connections between both countries' citizens. "There have been a lot of students from Kosovo who came to study in Malaysia, and they have contributed to these connections. "And as I said lately, a lot of tourist visits are happening that are contributing to these human bonds. But we are very hopeful that more is to come, and that this human connection is going to grow even much faster from now on," she added. During her visit, Osmani also shared Kosovo's readiness to collaborate with Malaysia in areas such as cybersecurity, counterterrorism, disaster response, and education. She conferred Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim with the Order of Independence — Kosovo's highest civilian award — in recognition of Malaysia's enduring support for Kosovo's statehood and his commitment to strengthening bilateral ties.– BERNAMA
The Sun
03-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Kosovo incentives for Malaysian investment
KUALA LUMPUR: Kosovo, the landlocked Balkan country, is seeking Malaysian investments across a wide-range of sectors including information and communication technology, renewable energy as well as manufacturing, visiting Kosovo President Dr Vjosa Osmani Sadriu said today. Despite Kosovo's small size, she said sweeteners to lure Malaysian investments included access to the lucrative consumer base in excess of 600 million people based on the country's free trade agreements with the entire European continent. 'This means that investing in Kosovo offers the same opportunities as investing across Europe,' she said, alluding to Kosovo's efforts to consolidate its economy through FDIs and build up its somewhat fragmented industrial and manufacturing sector. 'With the ease of doing business, Kosovo has the youngest population in Europe which is multilingual and tech-savvy, along with labour costs being much lower than in other European countries,' she told Bernama in an interview here today. This coupled with numerous incentives for foreign direct investment offers significant potential for Malaysian businesses, said Osmani, who is on a four-day official visit to Malaysia. During her visit, she met representatives from the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (NCCIM) to discuss investment opportunities Kosovo offers to Malaysian businesses. Although no agreements were signed during the visit, discussions are ongoing and progress is being made, she said. The Kosovian President said the first step would be to hold a joint economic forum with businesses from Kosovo and Malaysia to help identify key areas for a future trade agreement. 'Our teams are actively discussing potential areas of cooperation and I hope Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will visit our country soon to help finalise these agreements,' she said. She said she expects a direct flight between the Kosovian capital of Pristina and Kuala Lumpur in the future which would significantly ease communication and travel between the two countries, which established diplomatic ties in 2011. Osmani arrived in Malaysia on Thursday, her first visit to the country since assuming office on April 4, 2021. Malaysia officially recognised Kosovo on Oct 30, 2008, becoming one of the first Asian countries to do so, with formal diplomatic relations established on March 18, 2011. 'Even now, connections are quite good, mostly through Istanbul with other daily routes available as well. However, direct flights are always a more convenient way to enhance communication and travel,' she said. She also highlighted the appeal of regional tourism packages that include Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro, which are gaining popularity among ASEAN tourists. Osmani said Kosovo was looking to increase its exports globally, including to Malaysia, particularly in the ICT sector. 'Of course, Europe has been the main hub for our exports so far, but in the past couple of years, exports have quadrupled to the United States and several other countries. 'Our businesses are now looking for new markets where they can export their products, and I believe that once the joint economic forum takes place and businesses begin engaging with one another, they will be able to identify the specific needs in this part of the world,' she said. Osmani said Kosovo is also seeking to expand exports to Malaysia, particularly in the food and energy sectors besides ICT. 'Our businesses are already exporting to Europe, the United States and Africa. We see Malaysia and the broader ASEAN region as important new markets,' she said. Last year, trade between Malaysia and Kosovo amounted to RM28.55 million, with Malaysia's exports valued at RM25.92 million and imports at RM2.63 million.
Malay Mail
03-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Visa-free entry for Kosovars to Malaysia sparks hopes for deeper ties, trade and tourism boost
KUALA LUMPUR, May 3 — Malaysia's decision to grant visa-free entry to all citizens of Kosovo for stays of up to 30 days marks a new milestone that will further boost the two nations' bilateral ties. It is set to be a catalyst that not only will deepen engagements between governments and stimulate two-way trade and business activities, but also in expanding people-to-people exchanges across the multifaceted areas of culture, education, and tourism. Kosovo's President Dr Vjosa Osmani Sadriu said the news have been warmly received by the Kosovars after her government announced that Malaysia is removing these visa restrictions for its citizens recently. 'So, this has made quite a big news in our country. I am sure that a lot of people will want to visit (Malaysia) now,' she told Bernama and RTM in an exclusive interview on Friday, during her official visit to Malaysia. The President, on April 25, on a post on her X account, has expressed her appreciation to Malaysia for the visa exemptions to all citizens of the republic for stays of up to 30 days. Osmani said Kosovo removed visa restrictions for Malaysia some time ago, allowing Malaysians to travel to Kosovo without restrictions for up to 90 days, and now Malaysia has reciprocated the move. She said the move is a very timely and welcome decision, which also shows the personal dedication of Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to enhance the relations between the two countries. 'We are looking forward to seeing more and more citizens from our country visiting Malaysia,' she said. The President also looks forward to direct flights between Kosovo and Malaysia in the future to ease communication and travel, and increase tourism between the two countries. 'Even as we speak, connections are very, very good, mostly through Istanbul, but there are also other connections as well on a daily basis. However, direct flights are always an easier way to expand more communication and more travel,' she added. Osmani said Kosovars travel to Malaysia mainly for tourism; and at the same time, Kosovo is also working a lot and investing a lot in its tourism, especially highland tourism. The President said that the people-to-people connections between Kosovo and Malaysia remains strong, noting Malaysia's unwavering support for Kosovo during its most difficult moments in 1999, and its early recognition of Kosovo's independence in 2008. 'And at that time, many countries supported us, and Malaysia was one of the first. Malaysia's support helped Kosovo reconstruct the country,' she said. According to Osmani, Kosovo practically had to build the country from the ashes, and Malaysia's support helped the country through the peace-building project. It also assisted Kosovo during their independence and state-building process. 'So in all of these phases, Malaysia was with us, and the people of Kosovo are very grateful,' she added. Malaysia officially recognised Kosovo on Oct 30, 2008, becoming one of the first Asian country to do so. Diplomatic relations were formally established on March 18, 2011. In 2024, total bilateral trade between Malaysia and Kosovo reached RM28.55 million (US$6.0 million), with Malaysia's exports to the republic valued at RM25.92 million (US$5.5 million), and imports at RM2.63 million (US$550,000). Key Malaysian exports include palm oil, electrical and electronic products, and manufactured goods, while imports from Kosovo mainly consist of raw materials and semi-precious stones. The President also hoped that her four-day maiden visit here will have to spark stronger interests among Malaysia on Kosovo, thus helping to contribute towards creating closer connections between their citizens. 'There have been a lot of students from Kosovo who came to study in Malaysia, and they have contributed to these connections. 'And as I said lately, a lot of touristic visits are happening that are contributing to these human bonds. But we are very hopeful that more is to come, and that this human connection is going to grow even much faster from now on', she added. During her four-day official visit to Malaysia from May 1, Osmani has expressed Kosovo's readiness to collaborate with Malaysia in areas such as cybersecurity, counterterrorism, and disaster response and education among others. She also conferred Anwar with the Order of Independence, Kosovo's highest civilian award, in recognition of Malaysia's unwavering support for Kosovo's statehood and for his steadfast commitment to strengthening bilateral ties between both countries. — Bernama
Malaysian Reserve
03-05-2025
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
Kosovo offers incentives to attract Malaysian investments in key sectors
Kosovo, the landlocked Balkan country, is seeking Malaysian investments across a wide-range of sectors including information and communication technology, renewable energy as well as manufacturing, visiting Kosovo President Dr Vjosa Osmani Sadriu said today. Despite Kosovo's small size, she said sweeteners to lure Malaysian investments included access to the lucrative consumer base in excess of 600 million people based on the country's free trade agreements with the entire European continent. 'This means that investing in Kosovo offers the same opportunities as investing across Europe,' she said, alluding to Kosovo's efforts to consolidate its economy through FDIs and build up its somewhat fragmented industrial and manufacturing sector. 'With the ease of doing business, Kosovo has the youngest population in Europe which is multilingual and tech-savvy, along with labour costs being much lower than in other European countries,' she told Bernama in an interview here today. This coupled with numerous incentives for foreign direct investment offers significant potential for Malaysian businesses, said Osmani, who is on a four-day official visit to Malaysia. During her visit, she met representatives from the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (NCCIM) to discuss investment opportunities Kosovo offers to Malaysian businesses. Although no agreements were signed during the visit, discussions are ongoing and progress is being made, she said. The Kosovian President said the first step would be to hold a joint economic forum with businesses from Kosovo and Malaysia to help identify key areas for a future trade agreement. 'Our teams are actively discussing potential areas of cooperation and I hope Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will visit our country soon to help finalise these agreements,' she said. She said she expects a direct flight between the Kosovian capital of Pristina and Kuala Lumpur in the future which would significantly ease communication and travel between the two countries, which established diplomatic ties in 2011. Osmani arrived in Malaysia on Thursday, her first visit to the country since assuming office on April 4, 2021. Malaysia officially recognised Kosovo on Oct 30, 2008, becoming one of the first Asian countries to do so, with formal diplomatic relations established on March 18, 2011. 'Even now, connections are quite good, mostly through Istanbul with other daily routes available as well. However, direct flights are always a more convenient way to enhance communication and travel,' she said. She also highlighted the appeal of regional tourism packages that include Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro, which are gaining popularity among ASEAN tourists. Osmani said Kosovo was looking to increase its exports globally, including to Malaysia, particularly in the ICT sector. 'Of course, Europe has been the main hub for our exports so far, but in the past couple of years, exports have quadrupled to the United States and several other countries. 'Our businesses are now looking for new markets where they can export their products, and I believe that once the joint economic forum takes place and businesses begin engaging with one another, they will be able to identify the specific needs in this part of the world,' she said. Osmani said Kosovo is also seeking to expand exports to Malaysia, particularly in the food and energy sectors besides ICT. 'Our businesses are already exporting to Europe, the United States and Africa. We see Malaysia and the broader ASEAN region as important new markets,' she said. Last year, trade between Malaysia and Kosovo amounted to RM28.55 million, with Malaysia's exports valued at RM25.92 million and imports at RM2.63 million. — BERNAMA
The Sun
03-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Visa exemption for Kosovars timely, a new milestone in relations with Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's decision to grant visa-free entry to all citizens of Kosovo for stays of up to 30 days marks a new milestone that will further boost the two nations' bilateral ties. It is set to be a catalyst that not only will deepen engagements between governments and stimulate two-way trade and business activities, but also in expanding people-to-people exchanges across the multifaceted areas of culture, education, and tourism. Kosovo's President Dr Vjosa Osmani Sadriu said the news have been warmly received by the Kosovars after her government announced that Malaysia is removing these visa restrictions for its citizens recently. 'So, this has made quite a big news in our country. I am sure that a lot of people will want to visit (Malaysia) now,' she told Bernama and RTM in an exclusive interview on Friday, during her official visit to Malaysia. The President, on April 25, on a post on her X account, has expressed her appreciation to Malaysia for the visa exemptions to all citizens of the republic for stays of up to 30 days. Osmani said Kosovo removed visa restrictions for Malaysia some time ago, allowing Malaysians to travel to Kosovo without restrictions for up to 90 days, and now Malaysia has reciprocated the move. She said the move is a very timely and welcome decision, which also shows the personal dedication of Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to enhance the relations between the two countries. 'We are looking forward to seeing more and more citizens from our country visiting Malaysia,' she said. The President also looks forward to direct flights between Kosovo and Malaysia in the future to ease communication and travel, and increase tourism between the two countries. 'Even as we speak, connections are very, very good, mostly through Istanbul, but there are also other connections as well on a daily basis. However, direct flights are always an easier way to expand more communication and more travel,' she added. Osmani said Kosovars travel to Malaysia mainly for tourism; and at the same time, Kosovo is also working a lot and investing a lot in its tourism, especially highland tourism. The President said that the people-to-people connections between Kosovo and Malaysia remains strong, noting Malaysia's unwavering support for Kosovo during its most difficult moments in 1999, and its early recognition of Kosovo's independence in 2008. 'And at that time, many countries supported us, and Malaysia was one of the first. Malaysia's support helped Kosovo reconstruct the country,' she said. According to Osmani, Kosovo practically had to build the country from the ashes, and Malaysia's support helped the country through the peace-building project. It also assisted Kosovo during their independence and state-building process. 'So in all of these phases, Malaysia was with us, and the people of Kosovo are very grateful,' she added. Malaysia officially recognised Kosovo on Oct 30, 2008, becoming one of the first Asian country to do so. Diplomatic relations were formally established on March 18, 2011. In 2024, total bilateral trade between Malaysia and Kosovo reached RM28.55 million (US$6.0 million), with Malaysia's exports to the republic valued at RM25.92 million (US$5.5 million), and imports at RM2.63 million (US$550,000). Key Malaysian exports include palm oil, electrical and electronic products, and manufactured goods, while imports from Kosovo mainly consist of raw materials and semi-precious stones. The President also hoped that her four-day maiden visit here will have to spark stronger interests among Malaysia on Kosovo, thus helping to contribute towards creating closer connections between their citizens. 'There have been a lot of students from Kosovo who came to study in Malaysia, and they have contributed to these connections. 'And as I said lately, a lot of touristic visits are happening that are contributing to these human bonds. But we are very hopeful that more is to come, and that this human connection is going to grow even much faster from now on', she added. During her four-day official visit to Malaysia from May 1, Osmani has expressed Kosovo's readiness to collaborate with Malaysia in areas such as cybersecurity, counterterrorism, and disaster response and education among others. She also conferred Anwar with the Order of Independence, Kosovo's highest civilian award, in recognition of Malaysia's unwavering support for Kosovo's statehood and for his steadfast commitment to strengthening bilateral ties between both countries.
