USA requires Pristina to abolish charges of 100% on products from central Serbia – If no agreement is reached, fees to remain until 2022?

The Kosovo prime minister, Ramush Haradinaj, has confirmed that the USA has officially requested the abolition of the fee of 100% on products from central Serbia by Pristina. He repeated that it won’t happen until an agreement is reached by which Serbia would recognize the independence of Kosovo.

Haradinaj said at a press conference that the American position on the fees on goods from Serbia had been communicated to him by the US ambassador to Pristina, Philip Kosnett.

– The ambassador expressed the position of the US government on the demand for the suspension of the fee so as to make dialogue possible. That is their official request. However, they are aware that we have no right to comment on their positions – Haradinaj said after the government’s session.

Despite the American request and the threat of sanctions being imposed on Pristina, Haradinaj claims that the fees will remain in effect until an agreement is signed such as would result in the recognition of the independence of Kosovo by Serbia.

Haradinaj called the three-year dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, held in Brussels, “a circus” and added that the effects of it were not worth bringing the fees to the previous level.

– Nothing can substitute the agreement. Until we reach an agreement on the recognition of independence, there’s no reason to abolish the fees – Haradinaj said.

He expects an agreement on mutual recognition to be signed with Belgrade, and if this doesn’t happen until 2022, the fees will remain in effect until then.

– If both countries don’t join the EU on the same date, the Balkan issue will remain unsolved – Haradinaj said.

Ramush Haradinaj

Philip Kosnett

fees on products from central Serbia

fees on products from Serbia

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fees on goods from Serbia