• U.S. administration ready to assist Kosovo-Serbia agreement (RTK)
• Thaci: Wrong decisions deepen Kosovo’s isolation (media)
• Mustafa: Kosovo should not stand between the U.S. and the EU (Klan/Telegrafi)
• Haradinaj: Kurti agreed with Vucic to lift the tax (Koha)
• UK PM Johnson welcomed Kosovo’s partial withdrawal of tax (media)
• Berlin: Kurti's decision first step towards full lifting of tax (media)
• Italy supports decision on partial removal of tax (media)

Kosovo Media Highlights

U.S. administration ready to assist Kosovo-Serbia agreement (RTK)

The U.S. National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien announced he had a meeting with President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci and that it focused on building the momentum of the recent air, rail, and highway agreements reached with Serbia under the U.S. facilitation.

“@realDonaldTrump & his Administration are ready to assist both sides in reaching an agreement that benefits the people of Serbia & Kosovo,” the National Security Advisor wrote on Twitter.

Thaci: Wrong decisions deepen Kosovo’s isolation (media)

President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci said that the failure to take ‘wise’ decisions had deepened Kosovo’s isolation and has ‘significantly’ damaged relations with the U.S.

“Keeping the tariff in force is a serious obstacle and hampers strategic cooperation and new powerful American investments in Kosovo. Therefore, the need to urgently take right decisions was the main request and message in the meeting with Secretary Pompeo and the National Security Advisor O’Brien,” Thaci wrote on Facebook.

Thaci said he made a clear request to the government of Kosovo and the political spectrum as well as the citizens of Kosovo to, without delays, take the right strategic decisions that would end isolation, pave way for dialogue with Serbia and strengthen relations with the U.S.

“Possible hesitation for quick, wise, full and not partial decisions is unnecessary as these decisions are the only way to achieve our state and strategic goals,” he wrote.

Mustafa: Kosovo should not stand between the U.S. and the EU (Klan/Telegrafi)

Leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Isa Mustafa in an interview with Klan Kosova commented on the partial removal of the tariff on Serbia saying that Kosovo should not stand between the United States and the EU.

"The solution is only by preserving partnership with the U.S. and the EU. These positions need to be harmonised between the U.S. and the EU - we cannot stand in between," he said.

Mustafa said that the tariff issue will be discussed with his coalition partner, Albin Kurti from the Vetevendosje Movement.

"We will make efforts to resolve this issue. We had many challenges and we also have this one. I am not talking about partnership being endangered but about the need to sit down and harmonise positions and find as best as possible solution for Kosovo," Mustafa noted.

Haradinaj: Kurti agreed with Vucic to lift the tax (Koha)

Former prime minister of Kosovo and leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj said yesterday that prime minister Albin Kurti’s decision to unconditionally lift the tax on raw material from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina is wrong and dangerous for Kosovo.

Addressing a press conference Haradinaj said: “Kurti yesterday slashed the decision. On 15 March he will remove it for raw material and on 1 April in entirety. The slashing was done to deceive Kosovo, by following it up with some rhetoric traps allegedly conditions.”

Haradinaj also said that the decision to lift the tax ahead of elections in Serbia is only aimed at helping the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic get re-elected.

He said that this is an obvious sign that Kurti and Vucic agreed on these steps: “Of course the price is the Serbian List’s vote for Kurti government.”

Haradinaj also said that the AAK will get mobilised to, prevent Kurti from continuing what he said was a dangerous path for Kosovo.

UK PM Johnson welcomed Kosovo’s partial withdrawal of tax (media)

United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic yesterday and the two are said to have agreed on the importance of the UK-Serbia relationship.

According to a statement issued by the UK government, PM Johnson expressed support for the resumption of dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo.

“He welcomed Kosovo’s partial withdrawal of tariffs on goods from Serbia and encouraged a positive response. He said the UK would continue to press for a full lifting of tariffs.”

Berlin: Kurti's decision first step towards full lifting of tax (media)

The German government considers that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti's decision to partially remove the tariff on Serbia is the first step towards the full lifting of the measure, Gazeta Express reported quoting a spokesperson from the German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet.

"In our view, it is important for the government of Kosovo to agree to a common approach," the spokesperson added.

The German ambassador to Kosovo Christian Heldt meanwhile tweeted: “Important and courageous step by PM @albinkurti after just a few weeks in office.Should now lead to a constructive process lifting barriers 4 trade and free movement between both #Kosovo and Serbia. And reengage in a dialogue leading to full normalization.”

Italy supports decision on partial removal of tax (media)

Italian Ambassador to Kosovo Nicola Orlando said his country fully agrees with the EU in welcoming Kosovo's decision to lift the tariff on raw material from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"Italy warmly encourages Belgrade and Pristina to resume talks as soon as possible and remains committed to supporting this process," Orlando wrote on Twitter.