Quint: Suspend the decision of the Central Bank of Kosovo on the issue of the Serbian dinar

2024-01-28 17:26:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Quint: Suspend the decision of the Central Bank of Kosovo on the issue of the

The embassies of the five main Western countries asked the authorities in Kosovo on Sunday to suspend the implementation of the Central Bank regulation according to which the euro will be the only currency for making cash payments in the country.

In a joint statement, the heads of missions of the United States, Germany, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom said the suspension would allow a sufficient transition period for clear and effective public communication while stressing that the issue should be discussed further. within the dialogue facilitated by the European Union.

"We are concerned about the impact of the regulation on schools and hospitals in particular, for which no alternative process appears viable at the moment. The regulation will also have a direct impact on the daily life of the vast majority of Kosovo Serbs who receive payments or financial aid from Serbia," the communiqué states.

The ambassadors' request followed Friday's meeting with the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, where part of the discussions was also the issue of the regulation of the Central Bank. In a communique issued by the government of Kosovo, it is said that Prime Minister Kurti in the meeting emphasized "the importance of respecting constitutionality and legality in the country by everyone and at the same time respecting independent authorities, in this case the Central Bank".

The Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi, said on Friday that the Central Bank is the only authority that implements monetary policies in the country, and any pressure on the decisions of this bank represents interference in the independence of this institution.

The Central Bank of Kosovo issued a new regulation expected to take effect on February 1, according to which the only currency allowed for making cash payments in Kosovo is the euro, a decision that has raised concerns among Serbian leaders. who said that the purpose of this regulation is to ban the use of the Serbian dinar in areas populated by Serbs in Kosovo.

Serbian citizens living in Kosovo receive their salaries and pensions from Serbia in Serbian dinars, which are used for payments in Serb-majority areas, especially in the north.

Serbian President Aleksandër Vucic has said that the decision is an attempt to destroy the dialogue for the normalization of relations as well as for the expulsion of Serbs from Kosovo. However, the authorities in Kosovo said that with the new regulation, the transparency of sending money will increase and the great scope for misuse in the name of support will be reduced.

Experts in the field of economics in Kosovo appreciate the decision as completely fair, but insist that the Kosovo authorities fully coordinate with the European Union for its implementation, since according to them, a direct agreement with the Serbian authorities on this issue is difficult to achieve. / VOA