As a sign of protest against the trade blockade and 100 percent tariffs that Pristina imposed on goods from central Serbia all shops in the north of Kosovo and Metohija are closed, RTS reports today.

Bakeries, petrol stations, pharmacies, beauty salons, restaurants and coffee bars are closed as well. Citizens were making reserves over the last couple of days while Chairman of the Businessmen Association from northern Kosovo, Rados Petrovic said the measure would remain in force as long as Pristina does not lift the tariffs.

“We were warning that we cannot run businesses like this, with the tariffs, and here is what happens. As long as tariffs are in force, and we cannot purchase the goods in the normal way and work as normal people this would last,” Petrovic told RTS news edition.

He noted the action started spontaneously as one by one shops’ owners remained without the goods.

He recalled that Belgrade authorities said they would not let the citizens in the north starve and urged the international community to get involved in resolving this problem.

Meanwhile the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Marko Djuric said he understands why people in the north reacted this way, adding businessmen there had it enough.

“For seven months they were suffocated with the tariffs, for seven months they were prevented of having any normal life and normal trade and then somebody gets surprised why people rebel,” Djuric said.

He noted Haradinaj and many others are trying to accuse Serbs for the current situation. “I guess Serbs are to blame because his police officers and his people were shooting at the trucks transporting the goods,” Djuric added.