6 minutes agoThe sad truth of Reciprocity: Full, partial, June 15th, April 1st, gradual, trade, political, Haradinaj's
Periskopi(6 years ago)
(6 years ago)Recyprocytes. It was called the measure by which Kurti promised to replace the mask of the <x0 customs tartariff 100%” set by the Haradinaj government. But that measure turned out to be far from well-thinking, changing from time to time. Periscope brings constant changes to this arrangement. At first we had the mention of Reciprocity [...]
At first we had the mention of complete recyprocity. Then there was partial reciprocity. Gradual. Reciprocity of June 15th. Reciprocity established in parallel with tax removal. The April 1st recital. And now we have additional reciprocity.
Finally, Prime Minister Kurti announced that an additional reciprocity would be put in place, requiring the entities that for their destination had Kosovo to write as the destination name “Republic of Kosovo”.
But this determined move towards Serbia turns out to be ridiculous if we look at its long history.
After removing the customs fee (tax 100%) on goods imported from Serbia, “reciprocity” proves to be the obstacle Kurti has set for the resumption of dialogue with Serbia. Even “reciprocity” was Kosovo's protector from the agreement for “Division”, whose existence the US has denied.
Total Reciprocity
The initial resolution was complete and comprehensive. It included trade reciprocity that would impose non-tariff trade barriers on Serbia, as well as economic reciprocity and especially political one.
It didn't happen.
Kurt's full and comprehensive reciprocity was mentioned during the election campaign period.
The Reciprocity that quickly replaced the fee
Just a week after taking over the post of prime minister of the country, Kurti clarified the opinion that the tax on goods imported from Serbia would be lifted PORSA from the region.
June 15th Reciprocity
But not two weeks passed, and he changed his mind. At a media conference in Government, he later stated that <x0tarifa would be removed on March 15th for the first subject, and then completely on April 1,”. What about reciprocity? Reciprocity would be decided on 15 June.
Not even with that did the White House's special envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue agree, Ambassador Richard Green, and this led Kurt to take other ways with reciprocity.
Returning to Reciprocity That Immediately Replaced the Tax
Kurt did not listen to the American request that reciprocity not be decided at all. This caused relations with the LDK, the government partner, to be irritated enough to be dismissed by Interior Minister Agim Veliu, and later the Government itself on March 25th.
Haradinaj's Reciprocity
This led Kurt to remove the tax on April 1st and establish a reciprocity that had only been implemented. Haradinaj Government's reciprocity.
The Haradinaj government, along with the introduction of the tax, had also set up a form of trade reciprocity against Serbia, which tried to fight the non-tariff barriers Serbia made to Kosovo's export products.
Flexible Reciprocity
With the decision on additional reciprocity, just days before leaving the prime minister's office, Kurti has shown the true character of the reciprocity measure. We are dealing with a flexible mass that changes according to circumstances. Even not just the circumstances imposed by Serbia but also by external and internal political circumstances.
Kurt's current decision is clear that it is also intended to absorb new election benefits at the expense of the country's reputation. Now, even Miroslav Lajcak, who Kurti had accepted as a mediator of dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, went against this move, and this led Kurti to react to it for the first time.
Not being timed and nor defined in terms of measures against Serbia, reciprocity thus remained simply an electoral tool in the prime minister's hand. /Periscope
