Imports from Serbia to Kosovo have increased for 58.7m euros

Despite Kosovo's “efforts to dismiss Serbian products and promote trade with Albania, it has still been released from imported independence from Serbia.

The value of imports from Serbia continues to increase, while trade with Albania has declined despite bilateral initiatives.

Citing official data, BalkansInsight writes that in the first nine months of 2022, the value of imports from Serbia increased by 27 per cent compared to the same period last year to a total of 58m and 700 thousand euros.

“Exports from Kosovo to Serbia increased around 48.5 per cent over the same period, to 48m and 700 thousand euros”.

“On the contrary, trade with Albania has decreased, despite joint annual cabinet meetings between the Albanian government and Kosovo aimed at deepening economic ties. ”

The Kosovo government, in 2018 led by Ramush Haradinaj, had imposed 100 per cent customs duties on products from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The tax was then followed by reciprocity.

But after Prime Minister Albin Kurti's election, the 100 per cent tax was lifted, then the prime minister who succeeded Kurti, Avdullah Hoti lifted reciprocity in order to give the opportunity to continue dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.

The agreement on normalising economic relations between Kosovo and Serbia signed on 4 September in Washington by the Kosovo Business Alliance is considered to eliminate all trade barriers Serbia has made to Kosovo, but Serbia continues to remain the biggest exporter of products in Kosovo.