World Bank: 15 percent of Kosovo's population lives in "extreme poverty"

ONEWORLD SOUTHEAST EUROPE 29 September 2005 By Luan Ibraj

A report published by World Bank in Prishtina on Tuesday, September 27, points out that poverty in Kosovo is a widespread phenomenon, but direct actions can be taken.

According to the assessment of the World Bank, 37 percent of the population is ranked as poor, while 15 percent live under the extreme poverty line. These results are based on the budget survey of family economics from the Statistical Office of Kosovo (SOK).

The report states that 37 percent get by with fewer than 1.42 euros, while 15 percent of Kosovo's population lives in "extreme poverty", surviving on less than 93 euro cents per day.

Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister, Adem Salihaj said that this report comes out at a time when Government has intensified the preparations for drafting of development plan and strategy. He expressed his conviction that the report will serve as a document, on which the strategic objectives building can be supported, policies, programs designed to reduce the increases in poverty levels.

Meanwhile, the World Bank's representative in Kosovo, Kanthan Shankar, requested a strong commitment from government policymakers and their international partners to work together and implement policy programs that sustain and accelerate broad-based growth and thereby contribute to poverty reduction.

According to this report, Kosovo's worst-hit groups are the elderly, disabled, unemployed and households led by women.