EU seeks additional information for MTS license revocation

European Union spokesman Peter Stano has told Radio Free Europe that the European bloc is reviewing the government's decision to revote the company MTS d.o., due to controversial documentation during business registration.

The European Union is asking for more information on both sides to understand the implications of the decision in the 2013 Agreement and the 2016 telecommunication conclusions”, he said.

MTS d.o.o. It is a company founded under the Brussels Agreement for Telecommunication of Kosovo and Serbia by 2015.

By the end of 2016, this company has obtained its license to operate according to Kosovo laws.

Founding 100 percent of the shares is “Telekom Serbia”.

The company has headquarters in northern Mitrovica, though it has several branches in other parts of Kosovo.

In addition to television packages, MTS also offers internet and other phone services to its consumers.

However, early August, the Kosovo government has made a decision to revote the license, due to “non-unconstitutional documents” in the register.

Tens of other companies have been revoted license and businesses for the same reasons.

In the case of the MTS, the reason for the revocation is that one of the responsible persons, during the census period, has been entrusted with a passport issued by Serbian authorities, in which Kosovo's “Mitrovica, Republic of Serbia”, wrote to the country of birth.

The Agency for Registeration of Businesses in Kosovo has said in clarification of the decision that, “such content is not allowed for use in the Republic of Kosovo, because it constitutes violation of the constitutional norm and is something that poses a serious threat to public security”.

Serbia issues ID documents to all cities in Kosovo, but official Pristina does not accept them.

“Telekom Serbia” does not accept the Kosovo Government's decision, saying that “ekpi legal is preparing a long appeal, which will be handed over within the legal terms”.

The deadline for submitting appeals is 30 days.

Similarly, the US ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Havenier, has warned that Kosovo should be careful when revoteing work licenses, and has said they are negotiating with the EU envoy for Kosovo dialogue Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, how to resolve this issue.

When asked about the issue in a conversation with journalists in Pristina on 16 August, Hovier said he encouraged the Government of Kosovo to take careful steps when it comes to revocation of work permits.