EU’s Mogherini: Kosovo import tariffs imperil Belgrade – Pristina dialogue

NEWS 13.12.201823:02
Tanjug/Piroschka van de Wouw, Pool Photo via AP

The European Union High Representative Federica Mogherini told the EU leaders that Kosovo stopped the dialogue with Belgrade by refusing to revoke the decision to raise customs duties on goods from Serbia and Bosnia to 100 percent, the Beta agency reported citing its diplomatic sources.

She said Pristina acted in grave violation of the central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) although asked by both her and the Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn to withdraw the decision.

Mogherini has said that the EU Trade Commissioner Anna Cecilia Malmström will join the efforts to resume the dialogue which has been on hold for months.

The sources also said that Nicos Anastasiades, the President of Cyprus, joined Mogherini in warning other leaders about the import tariffs and the announced transformation of Kosovo Security Forces into an army as huge problems which jeopardised the EU facilitated Belgrade – Pristina dialogue on normalisation of relations.