2006年VOA标准英语-Kosovo Revamps Banking System to Bolster Econom

By Barry Wood
Pristina
23 September 2006

At a ceremony Friday in Pristina, Kosovo took another step toward revitalizing the territory's ruined economy.

The Banking¹ and Payments Authority of Kosovo (BPK) was transformed Friday into a central bank for the region. The move provides more independence and regulatory authority to Kosovo's new banking system.

Many people in Kosovo lost large amounts of savings², as the old Yugoslavia broke up at the start of the 1990s, and its state-run banking system was unable to cope without freezing assets. Since then, Kosovo struggled to jump-start the economy through its struggling banking system.

Officials see this recent move as crucial to Kosovo's plan to establish a Western market system in place of a state-controlled economy effectively destroyed by war, mismanagement and mistrust.

The top U.N. economic official in Kosovo, Paul Acda, says, the U.N. Mission in Kosovo, known as UNMIK, is placing more financial responsibility in the hands of Kosovo's people.

"This is because part of Unmik's [the UN authority] mandate³ is to strengthen and enhance local institutions," he added.

The French chief of Kosovo's central bank, Paul Svechin, says using the euro currency is a strong asset for Kosovo's economy.

"The direct monetary⁴ policy here is conducted by the European Central Bank, since we are, you know, a kind of passive member of the euro [currency] zone," said Mr. Svechin.

The euro has provided stability for Kosovo, but the economy of the U.N.-administered province continues to be depressed⁵. Finance Minister Haki Shatri does not expect significant growth this year. The economy declined in 2005. Unemployment is at least 40 percent of the work force. Shatri anticipates that a decision on Kosovo's status, now the subject of internationally mediated⁶ talks, could provide the stability that would allow for economic expansion of three to five percent in 2007.

He agrees that the euro has helped boost Kosovo's economy.  But while inflation is low, under three percent, interest rates on bank loans are high, over 12 percent.

Kosovo faces enormous challenges economically. The U.N. presence is being reduced, and its budget is equal to about one-quarter of the government's budget. Finance Minister Shatri hopes that likely independence for Kosovo will lead to an increased flow of assistance from international institutions.

Ethnic⁷ Albanians comprise about 90 percent of Kosovo's population of 2 million. They favor independence. Serbia is willing to grant Kosovo broad autonomy, but opposes full independence.

1 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

2 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

3 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

4 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

5 depressed   

adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的

参考例句：

• When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
• His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

6 mediated   

调停，调解，斡旋( mediate的过去式和过去分词 )； 居间促成； 影响…的发生； 使…可能发生

参考例句：

• He mediated in the quarrel between the two boys. 他调解两个孩子之间的争吵。
• The government mediated between the workers and the employers. 政府在工人与雇主间搞调和。

7 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。