To regret: Product origin flags continue to manipulate

But in some cases this administrative directive is not being implemented to the proper extent, and at other times, the state flag does not match the origin of goods exposed for sale.

The noncompliance of the state flag with the origin of the product occurs primarily when products from Serbia or the international but imported from this country are questioned.

In a case recorded by Radio Free Europe at a Pristina store, Kosovo's flag is seen as located on the product, which is inside international but produced in Serbia.

Market Chief Inspector Under the Ministry of Trade and Industry Lulzim Syla in a conversation for Radio Free Europe says they have recorded cases when business subjects have made flag change, but even when product origin flags have not been deployed at all.

“we have similar cases (construction of origin flags). Market inspectors based on the inspections and information we've received from the media or citizens through social networks, we as inspectors have not only fined business subjects, but we have sent the subject to court. There have been cases of fraud where the flag of Serbia has been moved by Turkey or any other state”, says Syla.

He adds that if business subjects in the country fail to comply with administrative guidelines and become manipulations with origin flags, then fines follow, showing that some businesses have already received such fines.

The market inspection is on the ground in progress and they do checks. There have been cases when administrative instruction was not respected at all and the subject was sent to court. Where the inspectors make a difference in the courts. The fine of change of flags when sent to the court is greater, while where flags are not placed give mandate fines, which 1,000 euros, while which go to court, the fines total up to 10,000 euros”, says Syla.

Under the management directive of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the product's origin flag should be placed on the left side of the sale price or price price for entities no longer than one centimeter from the product price.

The size of the flag indicating the origin of the product must be proportional at the price of the product. In no case should the size of the flag indicating the origin of the state product be less than four inches [4 cm] wide and two inches [2 cm] in height.

Representatives of businesses in Kosovo say you have also been counted when manipulations have been made with product origin flags. Kosovo Business Alliance Chairman Agim Sahini tells Radio Free Europe that the recorded cases had informed competent authorities.

The “in some cases has tried several businesses to deceive citizens by putting the Kosovo flag near a product of another state. The administrative guidance has been a good act to inform citizens in a way that their products are consuming. The administrative guidance is clear and the authorities must implement it, and if businesses need to be punished if they do not respond to instruction”, Sahin says.

The change of product origin flags, Sahin says, is most done on products which are imported from Serbia.

“We have had cases when at a Serbian product the flag of Norway, a product of Serbia has been placed on the Kosovo flag or in a product of another state, a flag of the other state has been put on, says Sahini.

The administrative guidance for setting product origin flags was in force shortly after the introduction of a 100 per cent tax on products originating from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Seting a 100 percent tax continues to be effective. The Kosovo government, until now, has not backed down on this decision even after many demands from the European Union and the United States of America on suspending or canceling this tax.

The European Union and the United States of America are constantly asking the official Pristina to suspend this tax so that the continued possibility of dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, which has been blocked since the tax was imposed four months ago.