Kosovo PM to lift taxes, wants reciprocity with Serbia

ANADOLIJA/Erkin Keçi

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti told the Voice of America (VOA) that his government will introduce “measures of full reciprocity in trade, politics and economy” with Serbia to “replace the 100 percent tariffs” on Serbian goods.

“This is not about revenge but justice, Kurti said. “Reciprocity is fairness. It is a fair approach. It is on the justice record, and I know that in one of his statements. U.S. President Donald Trump has mentioned reciprocity as a value and a concept that is close to his heart. So, international relations in the world today are built on this principle,” he said in the interview.

The KoSSev portal quotes him as recalling in the interview that the Kosovo parliament passed a resolution in December 2011 on full political, economic and trade reciprocity with Serbia and adding that he wants to see the reciprocity principle become something normal in bilateral and relations with neighbors “and in this case we want to replace the 100 percent tariffs” on goods from Serbia imposed by Ramush Haradinaj’s government. He also recalled that the tariffs are not part of his party’s vision, the portal added.

 The new Prime Minister said that Serbia “has taken “numerous unacceptable actions towards us” adding that the reaction by the authorities in Pristina were defensive measures. “Serbia’s campaign is offensive. Reciprocity is protection, it is defensive, and it is the minimum for some kind of dignity and integrity of our being an independent state,” he said.

 Kurti said that negotiations with Serbia remain one of the main challenges facing the cabinet formed by his party Vetevendosje (self-determination) and former Prime Minister Isa Mustafa Democratic Alliance of Kosovo (LDK). He said he could not rule out the possibility of Belgrade and Pristina reaching an agreement to normalize relations by the end of the year. “It’s possible, but I cannot foresee such a thing now. Now, I can express my will for dialogue, for open and principled dialogue,” he said.