Limaj: Supporting Haradinaj's any Tax Decision Despite American Pressure

Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Behgjet Pacolli has been declared for the US's request, saying Kosovo must abide by US demand, writes Insander.

In an interview for Kosovo public television, Pacolli has said he will talk with Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj about the possibility of a positive response to the US.

Similar ideas like Pacolli's have been shared by PDK Parliamentary Group chief Memli Krasniqi. He has said that the US's request should be considered seriously.

If we receive a request, even an ultimatum, from our partners, we should examine it, in the sense of partnership”, Krasniqi has indicated. But it means it has to be removed”, he stated.

He has also said that the <x0-tax is in effect. And the tax as such continues to have its effect”. The “is extremely encouraging that there was almost 100 percent support”, Krasniqi declared.

On the other hand, the prime minister has so far given only Social Democrat Initiative Chairman Fatmir Limaj.

The decision (s) for the tax is the political decision voted in the Kosovo government, and the Kosovo government takes responsibility for that job and we stand behind our prime minister, for whatever decision he has made and which is in force”, Limaj has said.

“As if we advise the prime minister and help him with actions that should be taken in the future -- so this is our task of functioning”, he has declared.

Limaj has also said that the Kosovo government has no problem with the US and the EU regarding their climate requirements for talks on both dialogue and tax. He has asked Serbia to halt hostile actions.

“We don't have a problem with the US and the EU, who seek to create a climate of dialogue talks, and the tax sees it as one of the problems preventing the start of negotiations here we have consensus”.

“How many times Serbia has created climates to talk about and if we enter and submit to ultimatums it will not create the climate for which we are waiting to start a normal dialogue which would result in the closure of the” agreement.

“Must create a two-way climate, Serbia must stop its hostile actions towards Kosovo and express its will to sit down and find the agreement”, Limaj has declared.

The U.S. Embassy in Pristina has announced today that the American position has not changed in terms of tax, claiming that the US has consistently urged Kosovo leaders to suspend the tax on Serbian and Bosnia and Herzegovina products immediately.

Our position on the tax has not changed. The US has consistently called for Kosovo leadership to immediately suspend the tax on Serbian and Bosnia and Herzegovina products. As we have said before, we do not see that Kosovo benefits anything from this measure. We strongly call for a review of the core focus of Kosovo's interest, which is the European future and normalisation of reports with Serbia”, the embassy's statement said.