Leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, sent a letter to coalition partners and the US Ambassador to Kosovo, Philip Kosnett, asking a 120-day suspension of tax as of 1 February, on imports from Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Klan Kosova TV has published a nine-page letter that Veseli sent to Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj who is leader of coalition party AAK, Behgjet Pacolli from AKR, and Fatmir Limaj of Nisma.
Statements of the US Ambassador Kosnett who asked only temporarily suspension of tax and not rescinding it – is clearly in accordance with Veseli’s proposal. Veseli in his long letter sets conditions on suspension of tax, measures during the suspension period, and warns with reintroducing the 100 percent tax and full reciprocity with Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina if they do not comply with the Kosovo’s conditions, Gazeta Express reports.
Veseli conditions suspension of tax with fulfilling of all obligations deriving from the Central Europe Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) by Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Asked Serbia to change its hostile attitude towards Kosovo. Veseli also asked Serbia to implement agreements reached during high level dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade, such as the Agreement on Integrated Border Management, and to recognize all documents of goods, licenses, stamps and other documents issued by the Republic of Kosovo. He also asked the Serbia’s Customs to stop using the stamps of parallel structures in Kosovo, and to fully respect the Agreement on mutual recognition of stamps reached during the EU-facilitated dialogue in Brussels in September 2011. He asked Serbia to recognize car plates, travel documents issued by Kosovo, and eliminate barriers, double standards, and stop mistreating Kosovo citizens who use Serbia as transit country.
Veseli among other things asked Belgrade to stop campaign aimed at damaging Kosovo’s position internationally and called on Government of Serbia to implement the Agreement on opening of the Mitrovica bridge which divides this town into ethnic lines and enable free movement of goods and people. Local authorities in Mitrovica North which are under direct control of Serbia are refusing to reopen the main bridge of Mitrovica despite an agreement reached with the facilitation of the EU officials.
Veseli also asked Bosnia-Herzegovina to fully implement the CEFTA Agreement and asked authorities in Sarajevo to recognize Kosovo’s IDs and remove barriers on free movement of people and goods. “If Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina after a 120-day suspension of tax take no actions as written in the letter, the Republic of Kosovo not only will reintroduce a 100 percent tax but will impose full reciprocity measures,” Veseli said in his letter published by Klan Kosova TV.
