Serbian minister: Kosovo “reciprocity” is worse than XNUMX% tariffs
The Serbian authorities rejected the deal with the Albanian separatists, who announced the day before the suspension of the economic blockade of the Serbian enclaves of Kosovo with a demand for “reciprocity” from Belgrade (admission to the market of goods labeled “made in Kosovo”).
Serbian Trade Minister Rasim Ljajic called on the Pristina authorities to return to the situation that existed before November 2018, when breakaway Kosovo imposed XNUMX% customs duties on goods from other Serbian regions.
As reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent , Ljajic reported that, given the current state of affairs, mutual trade between the metropolis and the enclave torn away from it by the Albanians will not be restored to its former levels.
"Some goods were shipped ( to Kosovo – ed. ), in small quantities, but they were shipped," Ljajić commented on the situation. "But if reciprocity is introduced in the form currently announced, then all invoices must indicate that the goods are being shipped to the 'Republic of Kosovo.' And that means they won't be shipped there, since our customs authorities cannot recognize such documents."
Based on this, the Serbian Minister of Trade concluded that the already insignificant trade exchange between Kosovo and Serbia would soon drop to zero.
According to Ljajic, the only way out is to return to the situation before November 21, 2018, that is, before the Albanian separatists imposed XNUMX% tariffs on Serbian goods.
Let's recall that the previously dismissed Kosovo "government" introduced "reciprocity measures" regarding customs reporting of goods from Serbia. At the same time, it completely abolished 100% duties without any "measures" on goods from Bosnia and Herzegovina, which at one time (due primarily to the non-principled desire of that country's Serbian entity to recognize Kosovo's independence) were also subject to 100% duties in Pristina.
Serbian Minister: Kosovo's 'Reciprocity' Worse Than 100% Tariffs