The EC increases the pressure on Kosovo due to the CBK decision

2024-02-02 14:22:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The EC increases the pressure on Kosovo due to the CBK decision

Illustrative photo

The European Commission has joined the voices critical of Kosovo, after the entry into force on February 1 of a regulation of the Central Bank of Kosovo. This regulation foresees the use of euros for cash payments, prohibiting the use of the Serbian dinar, which is used by Serbs living in Kosovo.

The main spokesman of the EC, Eric Mamer, during a press conference in Brussels on February 2, said that this institution regrets this decision and joins the calls of other international factors to ensure a sufficient period of time for the resolution of the this issue through the dialogue for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, which is mediated by the European Union.

"The Commission regrets the fact that this decision was adopted without prior consultation, taking into account the consequences that this decision may have on the daily life of Serbs in Kosovo and other communities in Kosovo. The commission is particularly concerned about the impact on schools and hospitals, considering that there are no other alternatives," said Mamer.

Mamer said that the EC supports the statement issued the day before by the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security, Josep Borrell.

The Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi, said on Wednesday that the implementation of the regulation on cash payments will be done through an easy transition, without indicating how long this will last.

"The commission takes note of the CBK's decision to allow a transition phase. The EC asks Kosovo to ensure that this transitional period is long enough to find a negotiated solution within the dialogue mediated by the EU", said Mamer.

When asked why the EC and the EU are criticizing a country that uses the euro and the decision of an independent institution, such as the CBK, spokesperson Mamer said that in this case, the way the decision was adopted is being criticized.

"Our statement should not be misinterpreted. We have not criticized Kosovo for the adoption of the euro or the decision on which currency should be used. We have only commented on the fact that this decision was approved without prior consultation. Because at this moment you have people, institutions, including hospitals, which operate in a framework, receiving financial assistance from Serbia, and they must have enough time to prepare", he said.

He said that this issue should have been addressed in the dialogue for normalization, "before the decision was announced in order to find a practical solution, for people and institutions to adapt".

Even the EU spokesperson for security issues, Peter Stano, said that the bloc is not criticizing the decision, but the way it was taken.

"It has absolutely nothing to do with the euro, but with the way this decision was approved and the risk it brings," said Stano. The implementation of the CBK regulation for cash operations has also been criticized by the United States.

"I want to repeat what the United States has said, we have deep concerns and reservations about its implementation before it is fully prepared. I can say for sure that we oppose it now," the American ambassador declared on February 1 in Pristina, Jeff Hovenier.

Since the post-war in 1999, Serbia, which does not recognize Kosovo's independence, has used the dinar to pay pensions, social benefits and salaries for parallel institutions in Kosovo, including hospitals and schools.

Residents of ten municipalities with a Serbian majority in Kosovo have also used the dinar for payments in shops and restaurants.

The Government of Kosovo has stated that the CBK regulation does not mean that money transfers from Serbia will be stopped and it also does not mean financial penalties for the possession of other countries' currencies./ REL