Dinar: Osman's talking about a settlement, Kurti on issues that don't negotiate

EU mediator Miroslav Lajcak was in Kosovo yesterday where, on the dinar issue, he said more details would be known tomorrow (30 January 2024).

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said today there are a series of options that are being discussed in terms of implementing the Kosovo Central Bank's regulation of cash operations, so that only the euro can be used for such payments.

During a press statement, Osmani said on January 31st that she expects for two days has an agreement to implement the decisionWhich is meant to go into effect on February 1st.

The BEC's decision has been rejected by Serbs in Kosovo, as they have said it would be unable to use the Serbian dinar to pay cash.

The international community, meanwhile, has called on Kosovo to postpone implementing the decision, but the Kosovo government has argued it is in line with the Kosovo Constitution.

According to Osmani, the CEC with the decision on cash operations has respected the principle of independence.

When in practice of these principles, a number of options that on the one hand would respect Article 11 of the Constitution are being discussed. But, on the other hand, they will set aside a time to inform citizens and transport them, say in new and other accounts, so that it can be applied without any problem and with the full support of Allied states”, Osmani told reporters after the speeches he did prior to Zahir Pajazit's September in Pristina.

“Sic knows, on each issue involving the north of Kosovo, with the extent of our sovereignty and the security of our state, we every time our allies are on our side, then these challenges are overcome and our Constitution's protection is carried out overall”, she added.

Meanwhile, during a media proposal, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti reiterated the position that the BEC regulation is in line with the Constitution and that decision has not been taken to punish someone, “but only to bring about constitutionality and legitimacy”.

“Euro, as the only means of paying and trading as clearly defined tool in Kosovo, is not a negotiable issue”, Kurti said.

The European Union, the United States and other members of the QUINT -- Germany, Italy, France and Britain -- have said that the BEC's decision <x0);gre concerns about the particular impact on Serb majority communities”.

Osmani said the demand for the dinar is similar to the request the international community has made for delaying the implementation of the decision on the issue of converting the car plates issued by Serbia to those RKS-Repudied Kosovo.

She recalled that now in northern Kosovo, inhabited by Serb majority, the plates are being converted, and said that decision, as in the dinar case, had the aspect of constitutionality and security.

So, on these [EC regulation] issues, how they will be implemented in practice, in terms of compliance in these challenging areas, there will be an agreement these two days and we will have public statements. I am for it to be fully implemented and not only on paper”, Osmani said.

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said that in Article 11 of the Constitution, it is envisioned for the state to have only one currency in circulation and only use one currency, and that “the constitution is above all”, but stressed that Kosovo's allies have sought to delay the implementation of the decision -- they are not against the Constitution of Kosovo. /Photo: illustration/ 

Kurti: The Decision for the dinar, Independent and Unnegotiable