"100% tax to remain until Serbia recognizes Kosovo"

SManalysis

The PM of the interim institutions has reacted to EU calling on Pristina to withdraw its decision on raising taxes on Serbian products to 100 percent.

SOURCE: TANJUG THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2018 | 13:46

Ramush Haradinaj said on Thursday that this would be done" when Belgrade ceases the aggression of Serbia," Pristina-based daily Gazeta Express is reporting, cited by Tanjug.

Haradinaj also said that such a decision "was not unexpected, and that he repeatedly warned the previously imposed tax could only be increased."

According tot he same newspaper, speaking in the Kosovo Assembly on Thursday - during a session called by 42 MPs who wished to discuss "scandals and failures of Kosovo's foreign policy" - Haradinaj said that the 100 percent tax should only be reduced "when Serbia recognizes Kosovo."

He also said that Hashim Thaci is negotiating with Belgrade "in a different way" - while his stance is that Kosovo "can only recognition from Serbia through sanctioning."

"Without this approach, it0s impossible to achieve mutual recognition, nor can a mutually acceptable agreement be reached," Haradinaj said.

Asked about the reaction of Serbian President Vucic, who had meetings with ambassadors last night, while a session of the Council for National Security was held in Belgrade, Haradinaj told T7 broadcaster that "Kosovo was tolerant enough" and "waited for the European Union to stop the aggression of Serbia - but that did not happen."

According to these reports, Haradinaj "even said that the dialogue between the two countries would not have happened had there been no respect of Kosovo towards Serbia."

Haradinaj said the decision to increase taxes is a decision of "a sovereign Kosovo" and that if "the aggression of Serbia ceases, if the energy agreement is respected, and much more" - it can be "brought back to normal."

"They want to keep us in a frozen conflict, we tolerated many things in the hope that the international community will find a solution, but we do not see it," Haradinaj said, among other things.