Escobar: Immediate solution to dinar issue needed, Kosovo Serbs are suffering

At end of last year the Central Bank of Kosovo (CBK) adopted a regulation on cash transactions, which came into effect of February 1, making the euro the sole currency in Kosovo and thus effectively banning the Serbian dinar.

“There is a community here that is really suffering. There are people who are dealing with real hardship because of the lack of options on receiving their pensions. So I really do want to work with the government in hopes of trying to find an immediate solution,” Escobar told Radio Gorazdevac following his meeting with the representatives of the local Serb community.

Escobar had messages for the Serb community that he met with, and for the Kosovo government.

“For the community here, I want them to feel and know that the American government wants Serbs to live in Kosovo under conditions of security, safety and dignity. And we are going to continue to work for that. And for the government of Kosovo, they have a responsibility to make that happen, and we will hold them accountable for that,” said Escobar.

He said he wanted to come to Pec to hear first hand “the stories that the people have about the impact that the Central Bank of Kosovo (CBK) decision is having.”

“It’s hard to hear these stories and not be moved,” said US special envoy, who discussed with representatives of the civil society and media from the village of Gorazdevac, near Pec, the impact of the CBK decision. During his visit to Pec, he also spoke with the young people of the Albanian, Serb and Bosnian communities, and with Pec Mayor Gazmend Muhaxheri.

Escobar also briefly addressed the Franco-German proposal in the context of the current problems.

“In the meantime, in the longer term, we still have to work hard to implement a historic normalization agreement that we reached in March of last year. So we are going to keep working,” said Escobar.

He stressed that all people living in Kosovo have America’s support.

“I think that all the people of Kosovo can count on American support, that includes Albanians, Serbs, Bosniaks, everyone who lives in this country. I hope they can feel American support and American partnership,” said Escobar.