DW: Pristina not withdraws tax on Serbia, Bosnia

The Kosovo government does not intend to eat the customs fee for the goods of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, despite continued calls by senior EU officials, to remove this tax. The chief of European diplomacy, Federika Moghrini, said after the meeting of EU foreign ministers held in Brussels, that Kosovo-Serbia talks are in trouble”, emphasising the 100 per cent customs tariffs the Kosovo government has imposed on goods from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. She called on Pristina to lift the tariffs.

Even EU Commissioner for Enlargement Johannes Hahn, speaking to reporters in “The Conference of EU-Serbia-Serbian Ministerial Accession”, said that “tax of 100 % for goods imported from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina is against the free trade spirit of CEFTA and against the spirit of regional co-operation, which can be developed only through free trade, free movement of goods and free movement of people”.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas also said on Tuesday that “Kosovo will cancel, or at least suspend the 100 per cent fee on Serbian goods”. Speaking in Paris at a meeting to prevent the spread of light weapons from the Balkans, Maas praised the “absolution of representatives of the Serb minority from government institutions in northern Kosovo”. According to him, the “further escalation should be prevented urgently and the success of the talks on normalising relations” should be maintained, the chief of German diplomacy said.

Meanwhile, within the Kosovo government it is being discussed to move even further, (though there are still no decisions), to take other measures towards Serbia, because of -- as Prime Minister Haradinaj “of Serbia's aggression towards Kosovo” says. At the government meeting (11.12), Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said that “Serbia must stop aggression against Kosovo and open the way for normalisation of relations between the two countries”.

Even discussions on new measures are due to ongoing pressure from Serbia. Serbia had been wise to stop such aggression and pave the way for normalisation. I have declared that the tax could be lifted with recognition of Kosovo's independence from Serbia, but the tax is not lifted because we have no choice. The 100 per cent tax, not due to arrogance, but has been done because we have occurred in the face of an aggression”, Prime Minister Haradinaj said, adding that “measures are not addressed to Kosovo Serb citizens or the Serbian people, but are to the state of Serbia”.

For now, there is still no government's decision to impose other measures on Serbia, but, those warned by Kosovo government officials are: setting aside the entry of Serbian license plates -- the same procedure Serbia applies to Kosovo license plates. And not knowing Serbia's documents for the quality of their products is warned, just as Serbia does not accept Kosovo goods quality documents.

Belgrade's official reactions and Kosovo Serb representatives against Kosovo customs duties to Serbian goods have no stop. MP from the ranks of the Republika Srpska List, Igor Simi, says that <x0taruf for Serbian goods has made life difficult for Serbs in Kosovo”, while the Kosovo government's “warning of other measures”, according to him, will directly jeopardise the survival of the Serbian people”.

You can't imagine what's going on in Pristina, and what are future measures which will directly endanger the peace and security of all Serbs in particular. There are warnings that officials from Serbia are barred from entering Kosovo. This would be even a blow to lowering tensions, as all officials who have visited Kosovo have called for peace”, Serbian local media quoted MP Igor Sm enemies as saying.

Bosnia and Herzegovina Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Minister Mirko Sharovic has also reacted. He has said his country could seek Kosovo's exemption from CEFTA, following the 100-year tax decision on Bosnian and Herzegovina goods.

“If you continue with these measures, one of the measures is to ask for Kosovo's suspension from CEFTA, but we will also ask for its suspension and from the association stabilisation agreement (MSA). They will meet on December 17th, while we will announce this enlargement commissionor Johannes Hahn and senior EU representative Federica Moghrin”, Sharovic said, broadcast the media in Bosnia.

The Kosovo government by November 21st increased the customs tax for 100% for all products of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina that are imported to Kosovo. This tax has strained reports between Pristina and Belgrade, which has also blocked the continuation of dialogue on normalising relations. \ DW