American visa for no Kosovo state official due to tax

This punitive measure has been undertaken because of the Government of Kosovo's decision not to lift the 100 per cent tax on Serbian and Bosnian products and its negative impact on the final phase in dialogue with Serbia.

So, besides President Hashim Thaci and Deputy Prime Minister Behgjet Pacolli, and other officials who already have visas, no one else will be able to attend the morning prayer ceremony, which will be held in the first week of February in Washington, D.C.

Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj will not be able to attend in the morning prayers, as his application has not been reviewed at all.

Under the Embassy's decision, no visa request will be refused or accepted, but none of them will be considered at all.

This decision applies to all state officials, including the opposition, and that it will remain in force until the government's tax decision is considered.

From the prime minister's office on the Haradinaj visa issue, they have said they have not yet received official answers from the US Embassy.

“Ende has received no official response from the US Embassy about the visa issue for Mr Ramush Haradinaj. The only reason the prime minister would travel to the U.S. is to pray in the morning rather than to some” conference.

On the other hand, it was reported in the media that the US State Department has rejected the American visa to Haradinaj because of the fee on Serbian and Bosnia and Herzegovina goods.

Until, even American officials have repeatedly called for the tariff to be lifted against Serbia, otherwise the responsibilities will face punitive measures.

For this, a meeting of Haradinaj was held last week with Parliament Speaker Kadri Veselin and US Ambassador to Kosovo Philip Costet.

Periscopi had reported that at this meeting, the Kosovo delegation had proposed to the American ambassador the suspension of the tax for three months due to dialogue. But this proposal was rejected by the American ambassador, who has demanded the total removal of the tax indefinitely.

Haradinaj has repeatedly declared that the government would temporarily suspend the fee only after ensuring the international guarantee of signing a final agreement with Serbia for mutual recognition.

Until, Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq has declared that talks with Kosovo in Brussels will continue only as the tax is lifted.

Pressure on tax removal for Serbian products has also made the European Union, which has expressed concern about the impact of this move on dialogue. For this, Johannes Hahn weeks earlier had paid a visit to Kosovo, but had failed to convince Haradinaj to turn back from the Government's tax decision./ P ERISCOPIA