Is the rate offering an obstacle to import anti-coronvirus equipment?

Officials from the State Department have also said that the failure to lift the customs fee is damaging the people of Kosovo and preventing regional co-operation against the coronary pandemic.

They have stressed that there are obstacles in this direction, as delays are being set up for Kosovo entry of necessary equipment, noting that the tariff is hindering economic growth as well.

Kosovo Government officials told Radio Free Europe that co-operation with the countries of the region, except for Serbia, is going well in all aspects, including the issue of co-operation about pandemic. Meanwhile, regarding statements by US State Department officials, in the Government of Kosovo have declined to comment specifically.

Kosovo's incumbent Government spokesman Progress Kryeziu told Radio Free Europe that the government is making sure that Kosovo citizens do not suffer when it comes to essential goods due to decisions, which, according to him, have resulted from the past government.

The “except for the state of Serbia with which we have certain differences, with all states in the region we have very good co-operation so far, especially in the context of fighting with COVIID-19 with whom the Government of Kosovo has taken appropriate measures and decisions, with the aim of providing and continuing with essential goods for citizens”, Kryeziu said.

Health authorities confirm that Kosovo currently has a stable supply of medicine, but, as they say, it is necessary for the supply to be further reinforced.

Faik Hoti, director of the Health Ministry's Information Department, told Radio Free Europe that the fact that the exact flow of COVID-19 epidemic is unknown requires greater supply.

He says Kosovo is exploiting different circumstances and reliefs in order to provide imports of the seedsy products.

“Normically import products make pharmaceutical pollers, different companies. It is natural at this time that there are retributions, but there are ways to import drugs and they to be distributed for health sector needs”, Hoti said.

In Kosovo, two production companies of medical products and equipment are currently operating, which have already stopped exporting abroad due to increased demand on the domestic market.

The Adriatic Stavileci, spokesman in Kosovo Customs, in a conversation for Radio Free Europe said that actually imports of medical products are not becoming.

“From Serbia, there are inflows of goods, but mainly wheat and flour. There is no import of medical goods”, Stavileci said.

On March 20th, the Government of Kosovo has approved the decision to lift the fee for importing raw materials from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Kosovo's now acting prime minister, Albin Kurti, had said the decision “was voted by 10 votes to and 2 abstentions to free 100% import of raw materials from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina”.

However, on April 1st, the Kosovo government is now expected to issue another decision on imposing reciprocity measures, instead of the 100% fee.

The 100 per cent fee was set by former Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj's past Kosovo government in November 2018.

Since then, dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia had been interrupted, which was also followed by the ongoing demands of Washington and Brussels on lifting this measure.