Kosovo government spokesperson Donjeta Gashi confirmed the Kosovo side has positively responded to the request made by Bosnia and Herzegovina for a meeting within the CEFTA framework in regards to the tax on its imports but said the talks will not focus on Kosovo rescinding the measure, Koha Ditore reported.
“We will listen to their demands but we will also defend our positions and principles,” Gashi said adding that most likely Kosovo’s Minister of Trade and Industry Endrit Shala will meet officials from Bosnia and Herzegovina by the end of the month.
Kosovo authorities have decided to revoke 100% tariffs on Serbian and BiH’s goods that were importen before 21 November, when the measures were orginally imposed, Tanjug reported. If any of those goods that were stored up to present enters circulation, it will not be taxed.
According to Zëri, it is possible that the entirety of measures will be revoked in the next few days, after the diplomatic intervention of the United States. The official position of Prime Minister Haradinaj remains that the requirement for this step is the recognition from Serbia, European Western Balkans reports.
On 21st November, Kosovo imposed a 100% tariff on all goods produced in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, increasing the 10% tariffs that were imposed on 6th November. The tariffs contradict the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) of which all three territories are signatories. Kosovo has issued similar tariffs before and regularly claims that its products are not treated equally in other CEFTA members’ markets, but it is also seeking to use tariffs for political purposes.
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has been damaged by 4.5 million U.S. dollars since Kosovo government introduced taxes on products from BiH, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH Mirko Sarovic said
