Thaci calls for respecting US advice on tariffs on goods from Serbia and BiH

(Patria) - Kosovo President Hašim Tači called for respecting the advice of the United States of America regarding the removal of tariffs on goods from Serbia and BiH, because, as he said, that is the only alternative.

"Kosovo has no other path but to preserve, cultivate and respect the advice of the USA. If someone does not want to hear these advices, the citizens of Kosovo will ask themselves: With whom should we cooperate and whose advice will we take into account? So, there is no alternative, a peace agreement, mutual recognition with Serbia and unreserved respect for the advice of the USA", said Thaci, reported by RTK, as carried by the FoNet agency.

Kosovo authorities earlier increased the tax on imported goods from BiH and Serbia by 100 percent, in response to the non-recognition of that country by Belgrade and the authorities of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian entity Republika Srpska. The USA also opposed this move by Pristina, NAP reports.

Imports of goods from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina to Kosovo have drastically decreased, by almost 90 percent, after the introduction of high tariffs.

Kosovo Customs General Director Bahri Berisha said at the end of February that in the three months since the introduction of the 100 percent tariff on products from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, imports of goods from these countries fell by 120 million euros.

Berisha said that the introduction of the tariff has significantly reduced imports of goods from Serbia and BiH.

"If we look at the records for 100 days, we can note that there was 120 million euros less in imports. From Serbia it is 100 million less, while from BiH imports are 20 million lower", said Berisha.