dinar tests Kosovo- United States

“Who does not understand this does not deserve to be at the helm of the” institutions, said Avdullah Hoti, opposition MP in the Kosovo Assembly.

Government officials, however, made efforts to reduce concerns, insisting they “are resolved and co-ordinated with Allies”. Prime Minister Albin Kurti said Kosovo “has no partner, ally and important friends like the US”.

Reactions took place a day after US Assistant Secretary of State James O'Brien said the US “is very concerned with the Kosovo government's decision not to allow the use of the Serbian dinar” in Kosovo.

In an interview for Voice of America, he said Kosovo must withdraw from this decision that “has questioned partnership with the US”.

The Kosovo government did not answer Radio Free Europe's question if it is considering the setback, as O'Brien requested.

But, Prime Minister Albin Kurti, speaking on Wednesday at an event in Prizren, said the Kosovo Central Bank has already presented its plan to implement the regulation.

The 10-point plan envisions, among other things, easing conditions for opening bank accounts and temporarily suspending the BEC's fee for opening bank branches.

The government “did not overlap independent state institutions, such as the Kosovo Central Bank”, Kurti said, and added that Kosovo's partnership with the US is not at risk.

The Republic of Kosovo has no partner, ally and important friends like the United States. That is how I consider and co-operate as Kosovo prime minister”, he said.

What does the opposition say?
For Ariana Musliu Shoshin, deputy of the opposition Democratic Party of Kosovo, partnership with the US does not cause the movement.

According to her, this partnership is much more valuable than any decision on any Kosovo right.

“... because, only in partnership with the United States, we can empower international subjectivity, but also internal policy”, it tells Radio Free Europe.

Musliu Shoshi adds that none of Kosovo allies, including the US, have stated that Kosovo has no right to make decisions that are in accordance with the law, but that to find implementation, “those must be co-ordinated with Allies”.

Avdullah Hoti, from the Democratic League of Kosovo, as well as in opposition, said the statements of US Assistant Secretary of State O'Brien, should deal with many concerns.

Kosovo's “relations with the US are existential. Whoever doesn't understand that doesn't deserve to be in charge of institutions. The owners of the country's institutions have the obligation to maintain these inefficiable relations”, Hoti wrote in a Facebook post.

“The actions of the [Kosovo] Government should be in line with the positions of its international allies”, the other opposition MP, Time Kadrijaj, insisted by the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo.

What do analysts say?
While opposition representatives do not directly say whether the Government should withdraw the decision or not, some analysts are more firm ♫ “the Kosovo government must reflect and withdraw from the decision to ban the dinar”, Agon Maliqi tells Radio Free Europe.

According to him, O'Brien's statements contain threatening “tons” and “are associated with a kind of disappointment” with Prime Minister Kurti.

“ [The withdrawal] can be problematic in the internal aspect, so to reason with this, but I think there is political will space for withdrawal from this decision”, Malchi says.

According to him, the Kosovo government should be cautious about how it builds the reports with a strategic partner, such as the US.

David Kanin, professor of European Studies at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, does not rule out the possibility of the US imposing sanctions against Kosovo, but emphasises that “will not go so far and, simply, sever its relationship with Kosovo”.

Speaking to Radio Free Europe, he says Kosovo would have to postpone the implementation of the decision for the dinar as much as possible, or completely revote it.

The American people don't want Kurt to do things that drive trouble in a region, that the West wants really quiet, while dealing with everything else happening in the world”, Kanin says.

Kurti's actions, according to him, “help Serbia” and “all make up for Banjska” the village in northern Kosovo, where a group of Kosovo Serbs attacked Kosovo police in September last year, killing a policeman.

Kanin says the US, with the support of which Kosovo declared independence 16 years ago, “is Kosovo protection”.