US warns Kurt of “security measures”, prime minister keeps June decision in force

Prime Minister Albin Kurti calls it a security and no economic measure a decision made in mid-June, after which Serbian goods were prevented from entering Kosovo. There had been official announcements of the ruling.

The decision that had been taken after Serb forces had seized three border police officers on Kosovo's territory and sent them to custody.

Kurti would announce that security institutions had increased border controls with Serbia in response to the situation created then, while denying there was a ban on goods from Serbia.

Our subx0> Mass is not economic or commercial, but are security measures”, the head of the government said.

Ten days ago, Radio Free Europe reported that North Mitrovica has remained without Serbian goods for the first time after the war, and that lack of these goods was being observed in other Kosovo municipalities.

American Warning

After Serbs complained that it has been almost two months since the Kosovo Government has left without Serbian goods, a spokesperson for the United States Embassy in Pristina has told the “Kosovo Online” that since Kosovo and Serbia are trying for European integration, they should take action “further promoting free flow of goods beyond its borders, not actions that undermine it”.

“As we said earlier, we support initiatives that enable free circulation of goods, services and people, strengthening rule of law throughout the region. As Kosovo and Serbia strive for European integration, the two countries must take action that further promote the free flow of goods through their border, rather than actions that hinder it”, an embassy spokeswoman has said.

The US Embassy has also recalled US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken's statement after telephone conversation with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti on 26 June, calling on Kosovo and Serbia to avoid actions that could be interpreted as escalation and return immediately to dialogue led by the European Union.

“As we have been saying for some time and as Secretary Blinken has said after talking with Prime Minister Kurti on June 26th, we call on Kosovo and Serbia to de-deceler tensions, avoid actions that could be interpreted as escalation and immediately return to EU-led dialogue. We expect Kosovo and Serbia to fully implement all their obligations from the Ohrid Agreement”, the American Embassy's response reported.

The chairman of the Kosovo Economic Ode, Lulzim Rafuna, has clarified that the government's decision is not valid for raw materials and semi-products. He predicts that if this decision continues to remain in force, then businesses would be damaged in the medium and long term due to the highest cost of importing goods from the most distant countries. This, according to him, is also expected to affect the rising prices of those goods.

Serbia is at the top of the 5 states of which Kosovo imports mostly goods.

Prices worth 372m euros have been introduced from Serbia to Kosovo during the past year alone. Meanwhile, Kosovo has sold goods worth about 62m euros in Serbia.

According to data from the Kosovo Statistics Agency, in June 2022, Kosovo has imported goods from Serbia, worth 33m and 757m euros. In the same period of 2023, imports from Serbia are worth 13m and 255 thousand euros.