Headlines - 22.11.2018

• Kosovo puts 100-percent tax on goods from Serbia and Bosnia (media)
• Mogherini calls on Kosovo to immediately revoke tax decision (media)
• Hahn: Tax decision must be reversed immediately (media)
• UNMIK chief expresses concern over announced duty on goods (media)
• Arifi to EU: You never reacted when Serbia violated agreements (Kallxo)
• MP Deda to Mogherini: We waited for your reaction against Serbia (Bota Sot)
• Bosch: EU never reacts to Serbia (RTK)
• Serbian President calls on Pristina to revoke tax decision (media)
• Serbian List says tax decision is “declaration of war” (Koha)
• Bosnia’s Zvizdic: Tax increase, wrong and unnecessary (Kallxo)
• Mustafa: Serbia is aiming undoing Kosovo (RTK)
• Haradinaj confirms ‘tense’ dinner with Thaci (Zeri)
• Kurti: Thaci to stop territorial deals (Zeri)

Kosovo puts 100-percent tax on goods from Serbia and Bosnia (media)

The leading story in all media is the Kosovo Government’s decision to put a 100-percent import tax on all goods imported from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The measure will not apply to international brands produced in the two neighboring countries. Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said on Wednesday that Pristina was forced to make the decision “because Serbia is blocking Kosovo”. “We have analyzed the way Serbia is implementing the CEFTA agreement vis-à-vis Kosovo. Goods from Kosovo have difficulties entering Serbia, every product was analyzed and transport was made difficult. They have obstructed our goods even though we have complained on several occasions. This is a legitimate measure that Kosovo has taken,” Haradinaj was quoted as saying. Haradinaj also said that he did not consult with President Thaci on the tax decision because he is abroad, but that he did discuss the issue with Assembly President Kadri Veseli and Deputy Prime Minister Fatmir Limaj. Trade and Industry Minister, Endrit Shala, said in a government meeting on Wednesday that Kosovo is committed to work on improving relations with all neighbors, “but these relations cannot be improved when the Republic of Kosovo is not treated equally as a country”. Deputy Prime Minister Enver Hoxhaj took to Facebook to comment on the government’s decision. “Serbia continued with wild and dirty campaigns against Kosovo, trying to harm Kosovo in the international arena, damaging in this manner the process of the normalization between the two countries. Kosovo undertook the first step of imposing ten percent tax however since this was not enough to change Serbia’s destructive manner towards Kosovo, the government of Kosovo decided today to impose a 100 percent tax for the imports from Serbia and Bosnia. The Republic of Kosovo will undertake all required measures to defend its sovereignty and vital interests,” Hoxhaj wrote. Deputy Prime Minister Pacolli said Wednesday’s decision of the government to increase the customs tax was not aimed against Kosovo Serbs and is part of Kosovo’s efforts to build a dignified state. “The same is valid also for the Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is acting in a synchronized manner with Serbia when Kosovo is concerned,” Pacolli wrote. He expressed hope that this will not induce increase of prices as there is no reason for it and promised that government will be close to trade, producers and citizens. “Today’s voting at the government meeting was unanimous, just as the coalition government is,” Pacolli said. Minister for Infrastructure, Pal Lekaj, said on Wednesday that if the tax decision is revoked, there is no reason for the current government to exist. Lekaj argued that no one can make them revoke the decision. “There is not withdrawal from the decision, pressure will not work, but if removed, there is no reason for government to exist,” Lekaj said. Lekaj added that Haradinaj’s government will not be brought down by the Serbian List nor opposition political parties, but it will continue to commence its duties. Speaking about Kosovo’s failure to become and INTERPOL member, Lekaj said that after Serbia’s major aggression, Kosovo-Serbia dialogue should be interrupted. Koha Ditore reports on its front page that the government has implied it will introduce additional measures on Serbia in response to its campaign against Kosovo in the international arena. In the front page, entirely dedicated to the import tax story, Zeri has published a stop sign and headlined it: “From the ‘so-called’ Kosovo with Love”. It writes that the seven-year dialogue for normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia has not achieved its purpose and that the diplomatic fight is deteriorating. Serbia continues to impose obstacles to Kosovo both in its relations with other countries and its membership in international organisations but has also delayed internal processes such as the transition of the Kosovo Security Force into a Kosovo army, the paper writes. It also says the government of Kosovo has “declared an open economic war to Serbia” by introducing a 100% tax on its imports.

Mogherini calls on Kosovo government to immediately revoke tax decision (media)

The European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, said on Wednesday that the Kosovo government has to immediately revoke its decision to increase the tax on goods coming from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. “Today’s decision by the Kosovo Government to increase the tax on goods from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina to 100 percent is a clear violation of the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) and the spirit of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the EU and Kosovo,” Mogherini said on Wednesday.

Hahn: Tax decision must be reversed immediately (media)

The European Union Enlargement Commissioner, Johannes Hahn, reacted to the Kosovo government’s decision to introduce a 100-percent tax on products from Serbia and Bosnia, saying that “this act – which also hurts Kosovo consumers and businesses – must be reversed immediately”. “Kosovo holds the CEFTA chairmanship and thus has special responsibility. I will attend the CEFTA week in Pristina soon and expect this to be solved by then,” Hahn wrote on Twitter.

UNMIK chief expresses concern over announced duty on goods (media)

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and Head of UNMIK, Zahir Tanin, notes with concern the decision of the Government of Kosovo to impose a 100 per cent duty on Serbian and Bosnian goods. he SRSG expresses his concern regarding the potential impact on the people of Kosovo as well as the political implications on the dialogue and normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Pristina. The SRSG calls upon political leaders to consider the long-term interests of people and the fundamental imperative to maintain peace, security and stability.

Arifi to EU: You never reacted when Serbia violated agreements (Kallxo)

Avni Arifi, chief of staff to Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj, has reacted to the statement issued by the EU asking Kosovo to immediately lift the tax on Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In a Facebook post, Arifi said the EU was fully informed of how Serbia violated all agreements reached in the course of dialogue for normalisation of relations and never condemned it. “I wish Mogherini was concerned when the Kosovo delegation informed her and asked for her support. Unfortunately, nothing happened. On the contrary, things deteriorated,” Arifi wrote attaching to the post a letter he wrote to the EU External Action Service in May detailing instances where he alleged Serbia violated agreements reached in Brussels.

MP Deda to Mogherini: We waited for your reaction against Serbia (Bota Sot)

Alternativa MP Ilir Deda reacted in a Facebook post to the statement by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini asking Kosovo to immediately lift the tax on Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. “We in Kosovo, and not only, have been waiting for five months for Mogherini to say something against partition of Kosovo [or] react against Serbia for working aggressively against Kosovo by violating the ‘spirit’ of normalisation of relations; and yes, we are asking the EU to meet its obligations to Kosovo. Surprisingly, it has remained silent, not to say ignored, these requests. This is what you get when Mrs. Mogherini loses her credibility,” Deda wrote.

Bosch: EU never reacts to Serbia (RTK)

Robert Bosch, former Ambassador of Holland to Kosovo, reacted to the statement of the European Union, which demands urgent removal of the customs tax for Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. “Of course, was strong but where is the Eu-statement against Serbia for breaking from the beginning the last point of the initial 12-point agreement on the normalization of relations, which says that both countries should not hinder each other’s road to EU which Serbia does all the time with Kosovo. Not to mention the outrageous statements of Dacic on countries who voted for Kosovo and especially on BK Kurz, what nerves the guy has! EU forget talking about the Association of Serbian Communities but remind Serbia of their responsibilities! They make with their actions the process of ‘normalization of relations ‘a mockery,” Bosch wrote on his Facebook account.

Serbian President calls on Pristina to revoke tax decision (media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic held a press conference in Belgrade on Wednesday after the Kosovo government introduced a 100-percent tax on goods from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Vucic said this is the most difficult situation for Serbia in the last ten years. “I will meet Kosovo Serbs tomorrow [today]. We will wait and see if the West will apply pressure on Albanians to revoke this decision. We are in a difficult position, do not underestimate Serbia. The fact that we are seeking a compromise means that we are looking for a solution, but it doesn’t mean that we are weak,” he said. Vucic called on the Kosovo government to revoke its decision “so that we can discuss all issues and reach a final agreement”. Vucic also said that Kosovo Serbs wanted to organize protests in several towns but that he advised them not to.

Serbian List says tax decision is “declaration of war” (Koha)

The Serbian List, which is part of the ruling coalition, said on Wednesday that the government’s decision to increase the import tax by 100 percent is “an unofficial declaration of war against Kosovo Serbs”. Serbian List leader Goran Rakic argued in a press release that through these measures “Pristina wants to expel Serbs from Kosovo”. “If this insanity does not stop, the Serb people will have no chance to survive in Kosovo, and we will be finished. This is why we call for an urgent reaction and aid from Belgrade,” Rakic added.

Bosnia’s Zvizdic: Tax increase, wrong and unnecessary (Kallxo)

Chairman of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Council of Ministers, Denis Zvizdic, said the decision of the government of Kosovo to increase to 100% tax on imports from Serbia and Bosnia was ‘wrong’ and ‘unnecessary’. “This decision will be withdrawn; it is unreasonable, and the way forward is dialogue and compromise and agreement in line with international standards,” Zvizdic said in an interview for TV N1.

Mustafa: Serbia is aiming undoing Kosovo (RTK)

Isa Mustafa, leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) said Serbia’s intention is to undo Kosovo state. “Serbia has engaged a lot against Kosovo… Serbia has increased activity to undo Kosovo state…compare to Serbia’s institutions, we have weak institutions,” Mustafa said. Speaking about Kosovo’s failure to become an INTERPOL member, Mustafa said “this time crime has won, but we will go on”. He added that Kosovo should reflect, “we have recognitions, but we also have unrecogntions. Something is not functioning”. According to Mustafa, the current government does not represent a good picture to the international community. “The government has seven or eight ministers who are indicted. This is also an obstacle,” he said.

Haradinaj confirms ‘tense’ dinner with Thaci (Zeri)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj spoke at a press conference about a dinner he had with President Hashim Thaci at the residence of Foreign Minister Behgjet Pacolli where they discussed the border correction idea. He said the conversation was long and at times tense. “I have presented the same views to the international. I believe they are known to all, there are no changes,” Haradinaj said. Haradinaj also said that he does not see why President Thaci has sent to the Constitutional Court the government’s decision to stop privatization in a number of municipalities with Serb majority but noted that they would respect any decision the Court adopts. In the meantime, the government has suspended the decision pending Constitutional Court’s ruling.

Kurti: Thaci to stop territorial deals (Zeri)

Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti said President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci should stop ‘territorial deals’ with Serbia and allow the Assembly to define a list of requirements towards Serbia. “I am optimistic that we can build parliamentary and government consensus regarding our requirements to Serbia. It is a great shame for our democracy that Serbia has come between us and has split us,” Kurti said in a press conference yesterday. He added that the Assembly of Kosovo needs to hold two urgent sessions on dialogue with Serbia.