We urge the Government of Kosovo to revisit this decision, consult with the affected communities, respond to the concerns expressed by the international community, and provide ample time for decisions to be implemented in order to mitigate the impact those decisions will have on its citizens, the US embassy in Pristina said in a written response to KoSSev.
At the end of December, the Central Bank of Kosovo issued a regulation that the euro will be the only legitimate currency in Kosovo as of February 1, thus virtually banning dinar payments in Serb-majority areas.
Although this decision was, in fact, announced by the Serbian president much earlier, since this information was made public last week, it heavily criticized by Belgrade officials.
The international community expressed concern as well, calling on the decision to be “reexamined”. In response to KoSSev’s inquiries, the spokesperson of the embassy in Pristina stated that they are concerned that the regulation adopted on December 27 will negatively impact the Kosovo Serb community.
“Under Kosovan law and as outlined in the commitments Kosovo made at its independence to the Ahtisaari Plan, Serbia has the right to provide financial assistance to members of the ethnic Serb community in Kosovo,” the spokesperson to the Embassy underscored, adding that they are thus urging Kosovo to fulfill its commitment to:
“Establish an Association of Serb-majority Municipalities (ASM). The ASM is the primary mechanism through which Serbia could transparently provide financial support to institutions and individuals under Kosovo’s legal framework.”
They argued that the citizens of Kosovo who legitimately receive financial assistance from Serbia need access to a functioning, legal mechanism through which they can receive that support.
“Institutions that provide critical services – such as education and health – must be able to continue their operations.”
“We acknowledge the authority of the Central Bank of Kosovo to administer regulations and guidance within its mandate as the sole legitimate financial administration entity in the Republic of Kosovo. We fully support its efforts to curb money laundering and stop mechanisms for terrorist financing within its territory,” the embassy spokesperson said in response to KoSSev.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
