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The Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi, accused Serbia of a unilateral step and a "flagrant violation of the functionality" of the institutions of Kosovo, through the attempt to send a sum of Serbian dinars to Kosovo.
Since February 1, a regulation of the Central Bank of Kosovo has entered into force in Kosovo. This regulation provides for the euro to be the only currency for payments in Kosovo, prohibiting the use of the Serbian dinar.
Bislimi said that Belgrade, with the action of February 7, aimed to "artificially create tensions", adding that it should be condemned by all who oppose the unilateral steps.
Earlier in the day, the People's Bank of Serbia said that it was not allowed to send dinars to Kosovo, but the Kosovo Customs argued that they have explained to the Serbian side that the circulation of funds is not allowed without the authorization of the Central Bank of Kosovo.
Bislimi said that the People's Bank of Serbia sent a truck full of Serbian dinars worth nearly 1 million euros to the Kosovo border. But, according to the Kosovar Deputy Prime Minister, the individuals who were transporting this means of transport, "were presented with the credentials of a non-existent company with the claim that they want to send the money to an entity that also does not exist in Kosovo and for the benefit of the beneficiaries, the names of whom they neither know nor have".
The People's Bank of Serbia said the money was intended for the vault it has in Leposavic, one of four municipalities in northern Kosovo, where Serbs are the majority. This institution argued that the transport was based on a long-standing practice.
"Based on a common practice, the vehicle of the People's Bank of Serbia with means in dinars was sent today to the crossing point in Jarinje, where the money for further transport would be taken from the vehicle of the company 'Henderson', which has a license from the authorities of Pristina for the transport of money. But, it has been returned without any explanation", said the People's Bank of Serbia through an announcement on February 7.
According to Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi, in the new regulation of the Central Bank of Kosovo - which entered into force on February 1 - it is clarified that only banking and non-banking financial institutions licensed by the CBK and the special authorization from this institution, can import of financial means in Kosovo.
" The Republic of Kosovo is willing to work and help find the mechanism that ensures that such funds are legally sent to the final beneficiaries, and that in the fastest possible time ," Bislimi wrote in his account on Facebook.
In the regulation for cash operations, approved by the CBK, it is stated that the institutions licensed to operate in Kosovo can carry out the import and export of currencies. Kosovo Customs and Police are the responsible authorities that ensure that the cross-border import or export of euros or other currencies from and to Kosovo can only be allowed "by presenting proof of license and authorization issued by the CBK".
Kosovo has said that the implementation of the CBK regulation for cash operations will be done through a transition period during the month of February.
Serbia pays Kosovo Serbs - through a parallel system - salaries, pensions, social benefits, and other benefits.
According to the data presented by the Serbian president, Aleksandar Vučić, in Kosovo his country has 31,831 employed people, 29,115 pensioners - of which 4,700 receive their pensions in hand - as well as 31,586 beneficiaries of social assistance.
The international community has called on Kosovo to postpone the implementation of the regulation, as they have argued that it entered into force without prior consultations. The United States and the European Union have expressed concern that the regulation could have a negative impact on the Serbian population living in Kosovo.
The American ambassador in Pristina, Jeffrey Hovenier, has warned Kosovo that there may be consequences in the "quality of partnership" with the USA, if it does not listen to its request to postpone the implementation of the CBK regulation.
He said that he is concerned with the way this decision is implemented, which according to the American diplomat, "does not respond to or take into account the impact it will have on the vulnerable community"./ REL
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