Where is the north supplied with goods?

In northern Kosovo municipalities, there has been no supply of Serbian products through alternative roads, Kosovo Government officials say, denying statements by Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq, who had declared Belgrade has supplied Serbs to Kosovo with elementary products for at least a month.

Minister of Internal Affairs in the Government of Kosovo, Ekrem Mustafa, in a conversation for Radio Free Europe, stresses there is no indication that products from Serbia's state have entered the northern part of Mitrovica. Shops in the northern part of Kosovo, according to Minister Mustafa, are being supplied with goods from the southern part of Mitrovica. He says that in the past ten days, Kosovo has strengthened control on alternative roads.

All green points are controlled by Kosovo Police in co-operation with KFOR. Over the last ten days, more controls have been focused on alternative roads. It means (the statement of Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq) is a pressure they want to do. Even at the Western Balkans summit, held in Poland, they have confirmed they will exploit alternative roads in order to denigrate the Kosovo Government's decision”, Mustafa says.

Otherwise, the president of Serbia, Aleksandar Vuciq He said Monday that he made <x0) a good piece of work”, in supplying Serbs to Kosovo for basic needs, at least for next month.

“la managed to secure a good portion, but how we did this, I won't speak”, Vuciq told Serbia's Radio Television.

Unlike the beginning of last week, when stores in northern Kosovo were closed and claimed to have no basic products, there are currently products supplies, including those from Serbia.

But, Kosovo Customs officials, claim that in recent days there has been no significant import of Serbian products, neither legal nor attempted for smuggling.

Adriatic Stavileci, spokesman in Kosovo Customs, told Radio Free Europe that the situation on the ground is different from political statements.

“Import of Serbian goods occasionally but to minimum. Normally, that even travel permits are available, travelers bring in what they can carry, but legal imports in large quantities do not have”.

“also in terms of smuggling, Customs through its units is making the conveyance of the movement that goods in that part and no increase in the amount” has been observed, Stavileci said.

Days ago, businesspeople north of Kosovo, closed all shops for a two-day period, saying they do not have supplies with goods from Serbia due to the 100 per cent tax which the Government of Kosovo has imposed on all imports from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The move had taken place seven months after the Kosovo government imposed this tax.

But, the Kosovo government had called the closure of shops in the north an improvised crisis by Serbia's authority. However, the Kosovo government had sent several trucks with elementary products to be used as sales points for citizens of Serb-run northern municipalities. But citizens of this section and have not been provided with them.

A business representative in the northern part of Kosovo, meanwhile, says the lack of food products is still seen at all stores. According to him, there are certain products but not in satisfying amounts.

Rados Petrovic, representative of the Association of Businessmen from the north of Kosovo, for Radio Free Europe, says goods come both from the south and from all sides.

Some products have arrived, but are not enough. It's also noted that the lack of residents, people have gone on vacation, so that even demands are smaller, but by September, when people return from vacation, they will certainly be seen if nothing is taken or if something is not changed”, Petrovic said.

Full text at REL.