Kurti: I was unaware of the CEC's decision, pressure on me began after Vuciq alarmed the region of Europe

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has spoken one more about the clash with allies over the Serbian dinar issue.

Kurti has said he was unaware of the decision Kosovo Central Bank would make. He says pressure on him began after Vucic propaganded that this decision would bring <x0-cystmic” 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 Serbs and there is no government since we have declared the independence that has helped the Serb community more than us”, Kurti said among other things in an interview that took place, during his stay in Munich for the Security Conference for journalist Andrew. Mueller from radio “Monocle”, published today.

Senior American officials in recent days criticised the Government of Kosovo for ignoring the US demand to postpone the decision to implement the Kosovo Central Bank's regulation.

They described this as a unilateral decision that can produce consequences even in partnership with the US.

US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia James O'Brien has said that the United States may not treat Kosovo as a partner if it makes decisions without consulting it, following the decision to ban the dinar.

In an interview for Voice of America last week, O'Brien said: I do not make vague threats publicly. I would say, if we are not treated as partners, we will not treat the Kosovo government as partner”.

But, O'Brien said Tuesday that Kosovo should suspend the BQK's decision immediately and work as modern European “state “for finding a solution of its concrete “problem”.

People need to know how to pay the bills. When I read the Central Bank statement, it does not say that dinar use will be allowed. He says an alternative will be offered. This had to be done before the decision was implemented in co-operation with the affected communities and with neighbours affected by the decision and sincerely with the European Union and with us”, OʹBrien said.

In line with this O'Brien statement, last week also US Ambassador to Kosovo Jeff Hovenier, who has responded to Kurti government, who claimed there is no danger of breaking up partnership with the US.

Hovnier again stressed that this situation has affected the US partnership with Kosovo, thus lying to Kurti and his subordinates in Government, since following O'Brien's sensational interview.

“OBrien made it clear that unless the Government of Kosovo considers us partners, neither will we. I have heard in interviews that this situation has not affected our relationship. I just want to be clear, it's just not true. This situation has touched our partnership. Any other explanation is misunderstanding”, the US ambassador said at an extraordinary conference last week.

Meanwhile, American Emisari, Gabriel Escobar, said yesterday that the Government of Kosovo, with no US request for the Serbian dinar issue, is not treating Washington as a partner.

I don't want to talk about all the consequences, but I think our public statements have clearly shown where our diplomatic and political reports are going. We are very concerned because the Government of Kosovo is not treating us as partners, they do not work with us for regional stability and undermine dialogue, the process for which the US is fully dedicated. I think the [American Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey] Hovenier has said the best: it complicates our capacity to help Kosovo integrate into the transatlantic community”, Escobar said in an interview given to the Voice of America in the Serbian language.