Import from Serbia drops below one percent, increases from other countries

Kosovo Statistics Agency data (ASK) for foreign trade for July of this year shows that compared to the same month last year, Kosovo's trade deficit has increased by 5.3 per cent.

The data made public Friday shows that export covers imports by only 12 percent, Koha Ditore writes today.

The data from the foreign trade of goods in Kosovo points to a higher trade deficit of 5.3 percent in July 2019, in proportion to the same period in 2018, worth 296.3m euros, compared to the deficit of 281.4m euros in 2018. Export covers import by 12 percent”, the AK report says.

These statistics also indicate a reduction in imports from Serbia from 12.3 percent in October last year, before the tax was imposed, to 0.7 percent in July of this year.

According to Economy Professor Naim Gashi, in reducing imports from Serbia has affected the tax of 100 per cent on goods imported from Serbia. Nevertheless, he has said that Kosovo continues to have negative trade balance, for the fact that Serbian goods have not replaced it with local products, but with imports from other countries.

According to AKS data, in July of this year, export and import have increased compared to the past.

Kosovo exports to EU countries this July reached 13m euros, or about 32.2 per cent of total exports, with an increase of 69.2 per cent.