Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) strongly protested against taxation of Belgrade press in Kosovo and called on EULEX and the Ombudsman to enable distribution.
The UNS statement said that from tomorrow distributors will suspend delivery of the Belgrade press south of the Ibar if the Tax Administration of Kosovo does not enable distribution without payment of VAT.
UNS learned from the dealer Igor Pupovac, the Kosovo customs will not let the Belgrade press without taxes being paid, even though printed press legally is relieved from VAT.
“The laws are not harmonized; the customs apply old law of Kosovo in which the press is not exempt from tax. We expect that with the help of the international community this problem will be resolved and that the Tax Administration of Kosovo will adopt an interpretation which will enable the distribution to continue smoothly,” said Pupovac.
He added that for the next two days already were withdrawn orders for areas south of the Ibar.
“For now we still have funds for distribution to the north, and that part will not be without the press. We are doing all possible to provide the entire territory of Kosovo and Metohija the right to information, but under these conditions it is almost impossible,” said Pupovac.
UNS said it was unacceptable that the distributor of Belgrade press is required to pay the tax, recalling that less than a month, Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, in Pec/Peja said that Albania and Kosovo “eliminated double taxation and VAT for books and newspapers.”
