LJAJIC: Pristina cancels disputed customs duties on agricultural products

The temporary institutions in Pristina have canceled the disputed protective customs duties of 30% on the import of seasonal fruit and vegetables and corn, implemented on July 13, 2018, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications of Serbia Rasim Ljajic told Tanjug.

Last week, Pristina canceled the duties on 14 products, and the latest decision pertains to the remaining seven types of fruits and vegetables.

Ljajic added that Pristina’s decision was a result of “the pressure and the decisive reaction by Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and Montenegro”, which held a ministerial meeting in Belgrade last week and “unanimously countered this and any other kind of trade barrier”.

– The four countries will continue insisting on having other customs and non-customs barriers previously implemented by Pristina canceled as well. Only the free flow of people, goods and services can lead to the creation of a single economic area in the Western Balkans, which is in the absolute interest for all CEFTA members, as it makes our economies more competitive and creates the possibility of new investments in the region – Ljajic says.

He reminds that Pristina’s barriers towards the traffic of flour and thermoblocks from central Serbia, milk and dairy products from Bosnia and Herzegovina and beer from Montenegro were still in effect.

Ljajic, however, says that the latest announcements from Pristina and Tirana concerning the erasure of borders runs counter to the principles of regional cooperation and further economic integration of the Western Balkans.

– Such unilateral moves can be seen more as an introduction to the realization of the big state project than a move towards the strengthening of economic and trade relations in the region – Ljajic concludes.

Ministarstvo turizma i omladine Republike Srbije

Rasim Ljajic

Pristina customs duties on import of fruit and vegetables and corn

CEFTA

Pristina customs barriers

cancellation of Pristina customs barriers