Bosnia says Kosovo is a very important market: Maybe Kosovo is right

When we take into account the divisions in B-H in relation to Kosovo, then no active state support for producers in this country can be expected, although Trade and Economy Minister Mirko Sharovic has pledged support. Good luck is that now is approaching the end of the year, but we will surely be careful, following recent decisions in Pristina”, Fekkiq claims.

Kosovo important market for Bosnia and Herzegovina
Milko's director says Kosovo is an important milk market in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The milk production in Bosnia and Herzegovina can be interrupted, if we have surpluses, because we have no supply equipment here. To each market, so that of Kosovo, is very important for Bosnia and Herzegovina”, Fekkiq says.
Authorities in Pristina have undertaken the tax hike 100% for the goods of Serbia and BiH, due to Serbia and BiH's <x0-destructuralisation and violation of Kosovo sovereignty”. One of the last examples of blackmail is Serbia and B-H vote in Dubai against Kosovo's membership in Interpol.

Topics from Kosovo

Kosovo claims it is justly implementing CEFTA agreements and that Serbia and BiH are violating them. BiH is accused of introducing various obstacles to goods coming from Kosovo, such as non-recognition of certificates and documents, analysis of the origin of goods and non-mission of permits for pharmaceutical products from Kosovo.

Analysts in Sarajevo say the latest measures will harm mostly Kosovo citizens, and then exporters to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. Economist Admir Cavaliq says Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2017 has exported goods to Kosovo worth 163.564.108 convertible brands (about 81m euros), while imported 15.834,838 marks (about 7.5m euros).

Kosovo economy needs raw materials from Bosnia and Herzegovina

“Build the most exported products in Kosovo are those of metal and xehes, which Kosovo's economy needs. The removal of taxes will certainly oppose producers who depend on the first classes of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. So I think these measures are not sustainable and contrary to CEFTA”, Cavalic says. According to him, producers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, after the introduction of taxes will not be able to compete in the Kosovo market. This mostly affects the Federation, because Republika Srpska does not have any important trade relations with Kosovo.

Kosovo is probably right

It is possible that Kosovo's arguments are true when it comes to obstacles to this country's goods in Bosnia and Herzegovina. These measures are aimed only at Kosovo goods. But there are no arguments that we are trying to lower prices through state aid, as the producers in Kosovo” say, Cavaliq says. While political analyst Jevad Kucukaliq claims that recent measures are more political than economic.

“Bosnia and Herzegovina does not recognise the state of Kosovo, and reports between Sarajevo and Pristina are tense. It has all cleared after Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia's vote against Kosovo membership in Interpol. Although there is an agreement for Bosnia and Herzegovina in such cases to abstain from voting, in Dubai Bosnia and Herzegovina's delegation, Minister of Security Dragan Mektic, has voted against Kosovo membership”, he explains.
Kucukaliq claims that the highest price will be to pay the innocent -- Kosovo citizens and producers. Authorities in Sarajevo have already indicated that they will not take measures against Kosovo, but will require Pristina to lift these <x0-discrimination measures”. / DW