Kosovo lifts import ban on Serbian goods; Serbia welcomes decision

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - Kosovo lifted its import ban on Serbian goods on Monday, a restriction that had been in place since June 2023, allowing goods to pass through the Merdare Border Gate between the two countries.

In a press conference with Finance Minister Hekuran Murati, Prime Minister Albin Kurti described the import ban, which he termed a "restrictive measure," as a decision made for security reasons rather than commercial considerations.

Kurti emphasized that they expect assistance from the US and the European Union (EU) to provide x-ray scanning devices at border crossings to ensure that goods entering Kosovo from Serbia do not pose a security risk.

According to press reports from Kosovo, Germany had warned that Kosovo could be excluded from the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) and the Berlin Process if it did not lift the import ban on Serbian goods.

Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic welcomed the decision, stating that it had eased long-standing tensions and that Kosovo Serbs would now be able to regularly receive supplies of food and medicine.

The import ban was initially imposed after Serbia detained three individuals identified as Kosovo police officers on June 14, 2023, claiming they were "planning to carry out an action in Serbia." Kosovo, on the other hand, asserted that the officers had been "kidnapped" by Serbia.

The detained police officers were released on June 26, 2023; however, the import ban on Serbian goods remained in effect. The restriction was later relaxed, allowing raw material imports from Serbia to be excluded from the ban.