User:Shiret Elezi

Shiret Elezi (talk) 11:55, 29 August 2020 (UTC)Shiret Elezi, PhD.

Date of birth: 20th of March 1981, Frankfurt, Germany.

Shiret Elezi, PhD was born on 20.03.1981 in Frankfurt, Germany. Before being elected Deputy Minister of Finance in the Government of North Macedonia, Shiret Elezi was Minister of Local self-Government (2016-2017). Her working experience started at Municipality of Gostivar, Head of Uinit for Financial Issues (2005-2016); Elezi was part time professor at the International University of Struga (2013-2016) , before that she was a part-time professor at Tetovo State University (2012).

Elezi studied at Pance Popovski Gymnasium–Gostivar (1996-2000); Graduated at State University of Tetovo, Faculty of Economics (2000-2004). She received her PhD for Economic Sciences from the ‘’SS.Cyril and Methodius’’ University of Skopje (2011), and her M.Sc. in Economics at ‘’SS.Cyril and Methodius’’ University of Skopje (2009).

She speaks well Albanian, English, German, Czech.

Author of scientific works published in scientific journals in area of: Public finance, Management of Local Finances in the Republic of Macedonia, Experience and practice in the budgeting process in Local Government in the Republic of Macedonia, Fiscal Decentralization and planning of stable Municipal Budgets, equalization framework for municipalities in the Republic of Macedonia through grants, Fiscal decentralization indicators in South East Europe, property taxes in transition countries, etc.

She is the author of a book ,,Management of Local finances”.

She was actively involved in the initiative to resolve the political crisis in the area of the Local Governments in Macedonia (spring 2017) in the extension of the mandates of the mayors and councils of the municipalities until the new local elections, in order to unblock the work of the local authorities and insure the constitutionally guaranteed right of the citizens of the local self-government, to delivery of local public services to citizens.

Realized lots of Meetings with Heads of the Embassies in Macedonia from EU countries, Heads of Delegations from EU countries, meetings with representatives of the International Women's Peace Group from South Korea and other meetings from neighbors countries with officials from Central and Local governments, etc. She has participated in international conferences organized from the World Bank, UNDP, USAID,NDI,OSCE etc.

In the period June 2017, was elected by the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia, Deputy Minister of Finance, which position I held until July 15, 2020.

In the period June-July 2019, headed the Ministry of Finance (due to the dismissal of the Minister of Finance), during this period the budget had the largest inflows of public revenues compared to previous months and previous years. In 2019, were launched several tools that significantly improved transparency. A tool was developed and the portal "Open Finance" was launched, which is designed to provide the public with an overview of all payments from the Treasury, both central and local, realization of capital expenditures for each budget user separately, condition of public debt, citizen budget, publication of various reports on the implementation of the budget on a monthly and quarterly basis, increased transparency, which significantly improved the transparency index of the Ministry of Finance, which is recognized in the reports of the IMF, WB, EU.

Key efforts have been made on key laws, which are standards in the area of public finance management.

The draft budget law is in the process of being finalized, in line with consultations with the World Bank, the IMF and the EU. After the early elections, the KOVID-19 crisis, as well as the necessary period for public consultations, the expectations are that the law should be adopted by the end of 2020. The new Budget Law will regulate the establishment of fiscal rules and the Fiscal Council. A new draft law on internal financial control in the public sector has been prepared, which, in parallel with the new Law on Budgets, should be adopted during 2020. The new law is expected to further strengthen the foundations for the implementation of public internal financial control throughout the public sector.

A tax reform strategy has been adopted for which a public consultation was conducted with stakeholders. This strategy integrates the main priorities in the field of tax policy and tax administration in the period 2020-2023.

This year, the Republic of North Macedonia is the best in the region in terms of the European Commission's recommendations of the Economic Reform Program for the period from May 2019 to January 2020, which refer to reform measures to strengthen financial stability and job creation. The European Commission also praised our coronary crisis policies.

In 2020, the state faced the challenge of securing funds and budget liquidity, timely payment of all expenses and outflows, as a result of the health economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 virus, which was spread on an unprecedented scale around the world and also caused great contagion. in our country. In March 2020, were managed to take urgent and promising measures as a ministry, and introduced a series of economic measures that helped the domestic economy deal with this economic-health crisis in April-July, and provided funding for budget liquidity for the whole 2020, including debt repayment from previous years. Economic measures include 550m euros and cover 730,000 citizens, or 5.5% of gross domestic product. At the height of the crisis, when a number of companies, restaurants, tourist facilities and transport companies were closed, we managed to save more than 140,000 jobs, and the measures were used by 30,000 legal entities (companies together with self-employed people). The measures included financial assistance to companies in the amount of MKD 14,500 and 50% subsidies on employee contributions, measures for exemption from collection of advance payments on the basis of income tax and personal income tax for 5 months, issued domestic payment cards for citizens and vouchers for tourism, vouchers for students and young people to upgrade their IT skills and qualifications.

The hard work, daily monitoring of puvlic finances ( revenue collection, timely active measures taken, preparation of decrees that implement all three packages of measures and above all teamwork (including employees of the Ministry of Finance), led to successful management and response to the management of the Ministry of Finance, and the Government in general.

She believes and expect that in the third and fourth quarters of the year a gradual recovery of the domestic economy, which will be supported by the implementation of the third set of measures and new ones aimed at reviving economic activity.

Meetings with representatives of international financial institutions, participation in domestic and foreign meeting and panels in the area of strengthening public finances, budget and tax policy, reducing the shadow economy.