Kosovo leader quarrels with EU officials over Serbia
Ramush Haradinaj, prime minister of breakaway Kosovo, a part of Serbia illegally seized by U.S.-backed Albanian militants, has sparked a dispute with European Union officials over his refusal to lift protective tariffs on Serbian goods.
The conflict arose on the eve of the third anniversary of the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA), the Kosovo news agency Koha Ditore reported.
The EU representative in Kosovo, Natalia Apostolova, recalled the need to abolish the 100 percent tax on products from Serbia, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Unfortunately, there are decisions that contradict the obligations of our agreement. This is a tax on products from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. As we have stated, a 100 percent tax is not only a suppression of CEFTA (Central European Free Trade Agreement), but also against the spirit of SAA,” Apostolova said.
In her opinion, maintaining protective duties “will weaken competitiveness and make Kosovo less attractive for investment.”
Haradinaj responded by accusing EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini of interfering in the internal affairs of the independent “state” of Kosovo.
“She caused us political trauma by discussing the issue of the country’s territory,” Haradinaj said.
Kosovo introduced a 100% customs duty on goods from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina on November 21 last year. A ban was also introduced on the supply of all products to the market without special labeling of the Republic of Kosovo in order to prevent their import. This caused sharp criticism from the authorities of neighboring countries as a violation of the agreement of the countries of Central and South-Eastern Europe on the free exchange of goods.
Moreover, in Serbian political circles this incident was called a declaration of war on the Serbian population of the autonomous region of Kosovo and Metohija, which is already struggling to survive in the enclaves. According to representatives of a number of political parties, all this was done to expel the Serbs from the region, because they are supplied with goods produced in Serbia.
“Pristina’s actions are absolutely unpredictable and at any moment could lead the region to complete disaster if they are not reversed,” said Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.
Since this decision, the head of European diplomacy, Mogherini, has been demanding that the Kosovo authorities cancel it as contrary to the main provisions of the agreement (CEFTA). However, despite the EU's tough position on this issue, Kosovo remains unconvinced.
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