French Ambassador to Kosovo Olivier Guerot said Quint countries have asked the Pristina authorities to suspend the Kosovo Central Bank decision to ban the use of the Serbian dinar and define the euro as the sole currency for cash transactions.
American Ambassador to Kosovo Jeff Hovenier called on the Kosovo Government to delay the implementation of the Central Bank of Kosovo Regulation making the Euro the only legal currency and protect the interests of minority communities, especially of the Serb community.
Guerot told Kosovo’s Dukagjini TV that the Quint countries requested a transition period before the regulation is implemented, that is, a suspension of the Regulation to allow for the people to be informed and for technical solutions to be found.
The Ambassador said it was important for the two parties to sit down together and discuss the technical issues related to the implementation of the Central Bank’s Regulation, emphasizing that this is the only way to resolve the situation.
Guerot reiterated the Quint countries’ request for Kosovo to fulfill its obligations and form the Community of Serb Municipalities, noting that he believes that the Franco-German plan is the best solution for the normalization of the Belgrade-Pristina relations.
In an interview with Kosovo’s RTV21, US Ambassador Hovenier said that neither the US nor its international partners are denying the authority of the Central Bank or of the Kosovo Constitution, but that, “taking into account certain realities,” the planned implementation of the Regulation raises concern.
He said that these realities, which they believe have not been adequately considered, directly impact the most sensitive issues in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, and these are actions that affect the minority communities in Kosovo, especially the Serb minority. This is the reason for our request, explained the Ambassador.
Hovenier said he can only comment on the US Government’s request, and that is for the Kosovo Government to delay the implementation of the Central Bank Regulation.