Kurti: We are excluding the dinar, but the Constitution allows only one euro currency

The prime minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, has again talked about disagreements with international allies over the Kosovo Central Bank's decision on the new regulation, under which the ban on the use of the Serbian dinar in the country is provided, the Signal newspaper reports.

In an interview for radio journalist Monocle, Kurti said he was unaware of the CEC's decision at first.

He further indicated that the pressure on him began after Vuciq propaganded that this decision would bring <x0-); catastrophic” to Kosovo Serbs.

On December 28th of last year, the Central Bank made that decision for new regulations and did well. I had no idea about this decision or the benefit of this regulation. Everything was going well and without problems, and in mid-January, just as preparations were going well, Serbian President Vuciq alarmed the region and Europe that “catastrophy” will happen on February 1st when the dinar is to be expelled. And then the pressure on me began, when Vuchy spoke. We are not excluding the dinar, you may have dinars in Kosovo, but the payment tool is euros, according to the Constitution may have only one currency.

We want to help the Serbs and there is no government since we have declared independence that has helped the Serb community more than us”, Kurti has said.

Authorities in Kosovo said that on February 1st the Central Bank's regulation on cash payments in the country would enter into force, but left open the possibility of a transitional period for resolving the concerns of the Serb community that continue to use the Serbian dinar. This has sparked the international community's immediate reactions.

The introduction of the BEC regulation has raised concerns even among the Serb population in Kosovo, which has used the Serbian dinar to carry out payments. With this currency, workers at Serbian institutions in Kosovo have received the salary, but even with dinars, pensions have been paid, according to the Serbian system, as well as additions for children and social aid.

Also, in areas where Serbs live, dinars have been used in trade objects, while in the four Serb majority municipalities in the north, prices are of dinars.

The Serbian list, the main Serb party in Kosovo, had earlier said that the BEC's decision jeopardises the survival of Serbs in Kosovo.