US State Department calls on Kosovo to "revisit" decision to suspend Serbian dinar

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The State Department has urged Kosovo to revisit its Central Bank's decision to suspend the Serbian dinar in payment transactions, expressing concern that the regulation adopted on December 27 may negatively impact the ethnic Serb community in Kosovo, 'The Pavlovic Today' writes.

In response to the website's inquiry regarding the decision of the Central Bank of Kosovo to suspend the Serbian dinar as of February 1, 2024, the State Department issued "a stern warning to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti," said Kosovo Online.

"We call on the Government of Kosovo to review this decision, consult with the affected communities, respond to the concerns expressed by the international community, and ensure sufficient time to implement its decisions in order to mitigate the impact these decisions will have on citizens," said a State Department spokesperson.

Regarding the development, the spokesperson stated, "We are concerned that the regulation adopted on December 27 will negatively impact the ethnic Serb community in Kosovo."

The State Department stressed that, "in accordance with Kosovo law and the commitments made under the Ahtisaari Plan, Serbia 'has the right to provide financial assistance to members of the ethnic Serb community in Kosovo'," the reports further say.

"Key provisions of the settlement in the Ahtisaari Plan stipulate that the 'Serb-majority communities will have extensive financial autonomy and will be able to accept transparent funding from Serbia and to take part in inter-municipal partnerships and cross-boundary cooperation with Serbian institutions'," the continued.

The State Department reminded Kurti of "the legally binding obligations that Kosovo has undertaken."

"This is why we continue to urge Kosovo to fulfill its commitment to establish an Association (Community, ZSO) of Serb-majority municipalities," the spokesperson said.

He added that the ZSO is the primary mechanism through which Serbia could transparently provide financial support to institutions and individuals within the Kosovo legal framework.

The State Department emphasized that individuals in Kosovo who "legitimately receive financial assistance from Serbia need access to a functional, legal mechanism through which they can receive that support."

The spokesman concluded that institutions that provide vital services, such as education and health, "must be able to continue operating."

(Telegraf.rs/Kosovo Online)