EU: unilaterally and uncoordinated decision on closing Serbia's Post Office branches in the north

According to the EU, such an action violates dialogue between the two countries, which is mediated by the European Union.

The unilateral and uncoordinated actions cannot provide solutions to this and other issues, belonging to the normalisation process between Kosovo and Serbia. The closure of existing services for Kosovo Serbs, without a previously reached agreement, will negatively affect the dailyity and living conditions of this community”, the European bloc has said through a statement.

The EU has called on the Kosovo government to reconsider this decision and find a negotiated solution within the dialogue.

The bloc has recalled that under the agreements reached for telecommunications, in 2013 and 2015, the two sides have agreed to discuss the postal services “in a later phase”, and thus, according to the EU, it is understood that this issue can be addressed only through dialogue.

Kosovo police have said Monday they have closed three branches of Serbia's Post in Northern Mitrovica, three in Leposaviq, two in Zvecan and one in Zubin Potok.

Its officials have said they have launched police action after receiving information from the Electronic and Post Communications Regulatory Authority (ARKEP) that on Kosovo's territory, economic operators without licenses are operating and that they are not registered to the Agency for Registering Business in Kosovo (ARBK).

The Electronic and Postal Communications Regulatory Authority (ARKEP) is the regulatory body in the field of electronic communications and postal service, which oversees the regulatory framework stipulated by the law on electronic communications, by the law for postal service and development policies.

The closure of the sites has been condemned by Serbian Post officials, the Serbian List, and Serbia's state institutions.

Serbia's Post Director Zoran Aflukovic's taskman, has claimed that Poste “provides services in accordance with all regulations in power”, and that police action in northern Kosovo has continued “systematic terror” in Serb municipalities.

Ankelkovic has pledged that all necessary steps will be taken for Posta to continue serving citizens in Kosovo.

What does Serbia's Post Office do in Kosovo?

Serbia's post in Kosovo carries out various fees for Serbs in Kosovo, from funds that separate the Serbian Government for them, including salaries, additions for children and pensions.

Also, through Serbia's Post, various fees are made in Kosovo for services citizens receive from parallel institutions, operating according to Serbia's system, for example, the payment for Serbian documents, payment for exams, remittances, etc.

The Post's work has been difficult since the start of this year, due to a decision by Kosovo Central Bank (BQK), which has made the euro the only currency for making cash payments.

Thus, the use of the Serbian dinar has been banned.

Serbia claims it shares aid worth millions of euros for Serb residents in Kosovo.

The international mechanism had criticised Kosovo authorities for making this decision affecting the dinar, saying they have not offered enough alternatives to local Serbs. /rel