Kosovo tax cuts have introduced 10m euros in products

Inflows to Kosovo Customs have seen a decline of about 5 per cent compared to the same period last year. The decline has also affected the spread of the COVID19 pandemic in Kosovo, and as a result of this decline has marked imports of products for 6.8 percent, and exports have also marked declines, even though figures are still unknown.

While, with the entry into force of reciprocity measures from April 1st this year in Kosovo from Serbia, about 10m euros of products have been imported.

Thus has made known to Kosovo Preress Kosovo Customs spokesman Adriatic Stavileci, who said the spread of the choreography has affected the institution's revenues as well.

The moment we talk unfortunately we're a little behind schedule, and last year we have to prove right whether in 2019 to half of April we've had 294 million euros, in 2020, for the moment we're talking we have 270 million euros so there's a reduction of about 5 percent of the first year's revenues. But we don't believe that this pandemic will last for a long time so that it can be drastically infected to enter, we believe that very soon when the level of pandemic decreases very quickly trade and the flow of goods will normally start”, he stressed.

Stavileci says that due to its pandemic and measures, imports of 6.8 percent have been lowered, or compared to the same period last year so far, 850m euros of products have been introduced in Kosovo, while 912m euros of products were imported in the same period last year.

“As far as import is concerned, we have very stable after the beginning of the year from the import and export aspect of products normally and the collection of revenues for the Kosovo budget, but it is known that last month because of the pandemic and measures that have been undertaken not only in Kosovo for the entire world has affected trade, normally consumption. And when consumption is affected we've seen a decrease in import in value, but also in quantitative terms. I can say that in terms of value whether in the first three months of last year we have had 912 million euros of imported products, these three months point to a 6.8 percent reduction, or 850 million are currently... We have a 4 percent drop in quantity as we have about 6.8 percent. We can say that export has suffered the same degree as import and has been badly damaged because we have not had enough exports to various countries”, he said.

According to Kosovo Customs spokesman, the import of food and pharmaceutical products is dominated.

The first two months of the year were the usual month when all products were imported, but in the last month dominon import of food products so the food industry led to all aspects starting with wheat, flour and other products, while we also have imports of pharmaceutical products”, Stavileci noted.

Stavileci has said that how Dogans have taken all measures in order not to infect customs officials, but announced that already a customs point leader in Vermica is infected with COVID19, and his condition as he said is serious.

Stavileci announced that medical controls at border points are continuing, though no passenger crossing is allowed.

Kosovo's “Dogana since the beginning of the pandemic we have first made the protection of our staff, as customs officers in one day must meet many parties and many people and have real jobs with about 600 trucks that enter and emerge at all border points. That's why we've immediately begun sending disinfectant devices and also protective equipment to our staff. But unfortunately, I have to tell you that one of our staff is in a very serious state of health which has now been the chief of the customs station in Vermica and is now lying on KKUKUK... so far our tests have been done to our staff only at the border point where the official who has now turned positive with the coron, exchange members are fortunately tested there they have proved negative that it is good news so far we have no reports that any members of our staff are infected”, Kosovo Customs spokesman declared.

The incumbent Kosovo government on April 1st has removed the 100 per cent tax on Serbia's products and has imposed the measure of reciprocity. And within these 20 days in Kosovo, about 10m euros of products have been imported from Serbia, while 700 thousand euros of products have been imported from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Mostly from Serbia, food goods and chemical industries have been imported.

The “since April 1st, when we started implementing the first few days, there has been an increase in import from Serbia, but right now we don't have drastic import growth. If we can take this period from date 1 to 20 so 20 days we've had imports from Serbia about 10 million euros of Serbia's products, until with Bosnia it's been taxed and it doesn't apply to reciprocity, we've had about 700 thousand euros of products beginning to come from Bosnia... so far we haven't encountered any problems, all the remittances that have come referred to Kosovo with internationally recognised cuts of Kosovo as in the MSA agreement and the CEFTA-one “, he stressed.

Otherwise, with the aim of preventing the spread of COVID19, Kosovo's incumbent government has made a decision to stop the flow of travelers to customs points, points at which only the flow of goods makes possible. /