The decision on the dinar, American professor: Inconsiderate Kurt action, it only adds Kosovo tensions

In an interview for Dukagjin, Ben Meir has said it only adds to tensions between Kosovo and Serbia.

“I believe Kurt's insistence on using a single currency is inconsiderate, even because the EU is advising against it, as it only adds to the tension and conflict between Belgrade and Pristina“, he has said.

According to him, Kurti's move is a political tool to confirm Kosovo's independence.

“I believe Kurt's insistence on using a single currency is inconsiderate, even because the EU is advising against it, as it only adds to the tension and conflict between Belgrade and Pristina, and in this respect also negatively affects negotiations on many other issues between the two countries”, Ben Meir has said.

Although, says the American expert, Kosovo has been using the euro since February 2002, Serbs in the north have used the dinar and that, according to him, this regulation has been made without giving the Serb community sufficient time to reach a bilateral agreement.

My concern is that Prime Minister Albin Kurti is now using the currency problem not necessarily to improve the financial system in Kosovo to prevent tax evasion and unmonitored money payments from the Serbian government, but as a political tool in another attempt to confirm Kosovo. There is no reason or reason to explain why such an action, which has an important impact on Serbs in the north, has been done without being given enough time, at least six months to one year, to reach a bilateral agreement so that it can make the necessary arrangements for Serbs in northern Kosovo and to allow more time to resolve this issue through negotiations such as car license plates, for which both sides have reached a deal, however long it could have taken”, he has come.

He claims that this new regulation affects the daily lives of Serbs, as they depend on salaries and financial aid from Serbia using the dinar rather than the Euro.

 

 

The fact that the Kosovo Central Bank says there is no objection that transactions can be made with dinars as long as they are officially carried out through the banking system, does not strengthen Kosovo's economy and does not necessarily change the position of Serbs in northern Kosovo. In fact, it only grieves them, as they see it as forced to adopt a move affecting their daily lives, especially because they depend on salaries and financial aid from Serbia or Belgrade using the dinar, rather than the euro”, has stressed Ben Meir.

Among other things, American professor says that Kurt's decision on regulation is motivated by the fact that they are new choices on the horizon.

I could add that by doing so at this particular time, it cannot be avoided the conclusion that Kurti's decision is motivated by the fact that they are new elections on the horizon, and that he wants to demonstrate his national commitment to Kosovo's independence through the use of a currency, even though he lacks some urgency and very little substance”, he said.

Ben Meir proposes that Kosovo postpone implementation of this regulation for several months, being in co-ordination with the EU and come up with a solution with which both sides can agree.

“Of course, Kurti needs a way out to change his position and, to that end, he should postpone the implementation of a currency policy for several months pending discussion with the EU and come up with a solution with which both sides can agree to”, Professor Ben Meir has said.

The regulation of the CEC, which requires the euro to be the only currency available for cash payments across the country, came into force on February 1st, despite the strong international pressure to delay its implementation.

The United States and the European Union have criticised Kosovo for adopting the BEC regulation without preliminary consultations.

Kurti again at the UN Security Council reiterated his position that the BEC's regulation for cash operations is not against the Serbian dinar, and that Serbs who accept pensions and other aid from Serbia with dinars may continue to accept them, but those payments should be deposited in Kosovo bank accounts with the euro.