Import from Serbia for 99.5 per cent, it grows from Albania, Macedonia

It has been three months since the Government of Kosovo has made the decision to impose 100 % tax on Serbian goods imported to Kosovo.

Kosovo Customs spokesperson Adriatic Stavileci for Rtv 21.tv has shown there is a decline in imports of goods from Serbia for 99.5 per cent compared to preliminary periods.

“Since the stop so far we have imports of about 700,000 euros of imports as much as paid taxes, since it is 100%.”, Stavilevci said, adding that the first item is what is more imported from this state.

That far has shown that import of goods has been increased by neighbouring states Albania and Macedonia.

“We have increased imports from Albania by 40%, as well as from Macedonia by over 10%”, Stavileci has declared.

He has also ruled out the possibility of smuggling goods from Serbia, saying no such effort has been observed.

“We have not noticed increased smuggling attempts”, the Adriatic Stavileci said.

Setting a 100 per cent tax on Serbian goods has sparked many reactions. The move has also been rejected by the European Union and the US. The latter has asked Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj to lift the tax so that the Kosovo dialogue can continue -- Serbia. This is because Serbia has conditioned the dialogue on tax removal.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Haradinaj has declared that the tax will not be lifted until Serbia recognises Kosovo.

Around the heels, there has also been reactions from the local political spectrum. President Hashim Thaci and Prime Minister Kadri Wessel have asked the government to suspend the tax in order to continue the dialogue, but the government is not giving up on its decisions.