Albin Kurti Minister Lifts Tax on Construction Blocks Imported by Serbia

Roseta Hajdari, the minister of industry, entrepreneurship and trade, has removed the tax on construction blocks imported from the northern neighbouring state, Serbia.

The decision on the removal of the 0.02-euro protection measure for the standard 19x19x25 blocs was taken on July 7th this month, writes Insander newspaper.

The dictatorship led by the Miss Hajdari has provided no explanation for the initial decision-making when asked by Insander.

However, a clear response to the paper has been given by Kosovo Customs, indicating that the anti-damping measure for the protection of local block-making producers was imposed on July 7th 2016.

“ ... This decision made on the date 07.07.2016 did not specify the five-year deadline, as provided by law, the Department of Commerce recently based on legal interpretation by the Department of Industry, Intervention and Trade Ministry, namely Article 46, paragraph 2 and Article 47 paragraph 5, 6 and 7 of the Law for Anti-Malmping and Counterbalancing Measures, and after consulting with the Commission for Special Designment in Import, it has concluded that the decision to protect the 19x1x blocs which should be imported from Serbia's constitutional response to Dogan.

“According to Article 46, paragraph 2, “Any final antidamping or counterbalancing obligation must expire after a maximum of 5 years from his deployment”, as well as Article 47 paragraph 7 “Masses imposed under this expiration procedure can last up to 5 years”, the answer goes on.

In view of these, Minister Hajdari has abolished the July 2016 decision because on July 7, 2021, according to legal terms, five years have been made due to the implementation of the measure.

At the time, the decision on the safeguard clause of 0.02 euros was made based on the request of the Association of Producers of the shale-based construction material of 16.03.2016.

After receiving the request the Department of Commerce had conducted a research and in co-ordination with the Commission for the assessment of special import duties based on Article 48 of the Law on Anti-Magging Measures and Counter-balancing Measures on the date 07.07.2016 had recommended and imposed a safeguard clause of 0.020.0 for the standard 19x19x25 blocs imported from Serbia, writes the newspaper Insander.

This as a result of selling the product to the Kosovo market under the normal market price and that import of the product in question damaged local producers in Kosovo.

However, Dogana stresses that the Department of Commerce is currently forwarding the production sector of shale-based construction material and is currently analyzing the import and sale prices of the product in question by Serbia.

If it is found that such import goes on to accommodate local producers with the sale of the product under normal value, then the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Trade will immediately make a decision to open an official investigation just as provided with Article 29 of this law, and if final analyses prove that it is continuing the price marking on Kosovo's market, the Ministry of Industry, Intervention and Trade will again establish anti-dagging measures for 19x1925 blocs from Serbia”, Dogan explains, the newspaper Indery.

According to the institution that controls import and export to goods, from the removal of anti-dumping measures, import of the 19x19x25 blocs from Serbia has been lower than last month's.

The decision entered into effect on July 7, 2021. According to Customs data, even though the current time is the figure of construction season, the import to date is slightly lower than last month's in quantity and worth”, the Customs Journal's response to the Inseder Journal concludes.