Escobar meets with Serbian politicians in Kosovo, discuss dinar

US envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar today has met with political representatives of Serbs in Kosovo, with whom he has talked about the problems facing the Serb community.

As the Serbian List, which enjoys Belgrade's support, announced, they have told Escobar that the decisions of the Government of Kosovo “threaten fundamental human rights” for members of the Serb community.

In this context, this party has cited the Kosovo Central Bank regulation that prohibits the use of the Serbian dinar, the ban on importing goods from Serbia, and the arrival of Albanian mayors in four municipalities in northern Kosovo last May, as Serbs boycotted local elections held that year.

Meanwhile, Branimir Stojanovic from the Serbian People's Movement said it is “encouraged” from the approach of the United States to the recent decisions of the Kosovo authorities and that it has received “garance from Escobar that things will change in favour of the Serb community.

We expect more serious steps, first of all, for the situation to calm down, so that our people can finally ensure minimum conditions for a normal” life, Stojanovic said after meeting with Escobar for local radio Kim.

Serbian Democracy party leader Aleksandar Arsenijevic also told the media that Escobar has talked mainly about BEC regulation, which envisions the euro as the only currency for cash payments in Kosovo.

The Party of Kosovo Serbs, according to an announcement, said its leader, Aleksandar Jablanovic, has told Escobar about the difficult and unbearable “cystia in which the Serbian people in Kosovo are located”.

At the meeting, Escobar conveyed his Government's concern about the fate and normal life of Serbs and promised that the position of Serbs in Kosovo and their rights is currently the highest priority of the American Embassy in Kosovo and the American State Department in relations with Kosovo”, the party's spokesman said.

The CEC has started implementing this regulation on 1 February, and this has made it difficult to pay and additions that Serbs in Kosovo receive from Serbia's budget, which they receive in dinars.

“Biseda [with Escobarin] was encouraging”, Arsenijevic said.

We understand that during the day, Escobar has met with the country's president, Vjosa Osmani, and tomorrow he will meet with Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

Escobar's visit to Kosovo comes after the Central Bank's recent decision on the Serbian dinar. / REL