Only one border crossing still open for Serbian goods – Who should act?

As the chair of CEFTA, Kosovo hosted a Joint Committee meeting in early March, presented without UNMIK. Meanwhile, at the Merdare border crossing, a long line of trucks carrying Serbian goods formed, with customs clearance taking up to three days. This situation has remained unchanged since October, when Pristina partially lifted the import ban on Serbian goods, promising that they would be allowed through other crossings once scanners were installed. However, the scanners have not arrived, transporters are discouraged from taking goods to Kosovo, and from October to February 2025, Serbian exports to Kosovo have dropped by one-third compared to the same period before the ban was introduced.

Written by: Dusica Radeka Djordjevic

Truck drivers waiting in kilometer-long queues at Merdare told Kosovo Online reporters that the Pristina government's decision to allow imports only through this crossing makes their work much more difficult.

Skender Kelemendi, who drives a truck from Belgrade carrying Polimark products, said that imports would be much easier if goods could enter through all crossings.

"It used to be different; we could transport goods three times a week, now only once. We wait two to three days at customs. It’s bad for business," he said.

According to Miroslav Simic, who transports blocks from Serbia, the detailed inspections sometimes take days.

To avoid being excluded from the Berlin Process, Kosovo partially lifted its ban on Serbian imports on October 7, 2024. The ban, imposed on June 14, 2023, was officially justified by "security concerns" over suspicions that weapons were being smuggled into Kosovo in trucks carrying Serbian goods.

By easing the ban on October 7, Kosovo benefited by gaining direct representation in CEFTA instead of being represented via UNMIK. However, limiting imports to only the Merdare crossing has caused losses for others.

According to data obtained by Kosovo Online from the Regional Cooperation Center of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, total Serbian exports to Kosovo from October 2024 to early February 2025 fell by 30.2% compared to the same period in 2022-2023, before the ban was introduced.

"Total Serbian exports from October 2024 to early February 2025 amounted to €104 million, which is €45 million less than the €149 million exported in the same period of 2022-2023 before the ban—representing a 30.2% decline," the Serbian Chamber of Commerce told Kosovo Online.

When comparing the months before the ban with those after its partial removal, exports have dropped by an average of €11.25 million per month.

Due to slowed operations and occasional work stoppages at Kosovo customs at the Merdare crossing—designated as a Green Corridor—the Serbian Chamber of Commerce reports that shipments are being processed at a significantly lower volume than usual, with no indication that other crossings will open for goods.

"The number of trucks passing through Merdare daily ranges from 90 to 120, leading to significant congestion, with queues stretching for several kilometers and over 150 trucks waiting. Under normal conditions, Kosovo customs at Merdare processed around 250 trucks daily, and after EU-funded infrastructure upgrades, the crossing's capacity increased to 400 trucks per day. These bottlenecks further complicate matters for transporters from Serbia, Kosovo, and the region, who face delays of up to four days. The long waiting times and poor conditions discourage transporters from taking goods to Kosovo, as they could otherwise be delivering to other markets under normal conditions," the Serbian Chamber of Commerce noted.

The President of the Kosovo Business Alliance, Agim Shahini, told Kosovo Online that the issue of Serbian imports is an artificial problem.

"The Kosovo Business Alliance has always advocated for opening all border crossings for goods and avoiding congestion. At Merdare, queues stretch 10, 15, even 20 kilometers, and drivers are still waiting for days, which increases transportation costs. It is unacceptable for drivers to sit there for two or three days just to get here," Shahini said.

He added that the Kosovo Business Alliance had requested the Kosovo government to liberalize the market, and authorities had promised that everything would be resolved once scanners for border inspections were installed.

"However, those scanners are still not here, and the congestion is growing daily, along with costs. That’s why both Kosovo and all CEFTA countries must find a solution to overcome this problem. We expect scanners to arrive, but we don’t know when. If we don’t have scanners at other border crossings, why should we have them only at this one? As the Kosovo Business Alliance, we would remove all restrictions so that goods and capital could flow freely in both directions without any issues," Shahini emphasized.

According to him, CEFTA has not addressed this issue, but it should be a concern for both CEFTA and the European Union.

Dragisa Mijacic, Coordinator of the Working Group of the National Convention on the EU for Chapter 35, told Kosovo Online that it is scandalous that the international community—especially the German administration, which has been dealing with the ban on Serbian goods entering Kosovo—has failed to fully resolve the issue.

According to him, Serbian imports to Kosovo remain one of the major unresolved issues, and it is a great embarrassment for the international community that the problem persists.

"The German government and its envoys have been exclusively focused on resolving this issue and CEFTA-related matters because regional cooperation is important to them. Mr. Sarrazin was highly engaged in these discussions and made encouraging statements that the issue would be resolved. However, despite some initial progress, border crossings other than Merdare remain closed to Serbian imports. For Serbs in northern Kosovo, crossings like Brnjak and Jarinje are particularly crucial—not only for access to goods but also for funding the Development Fund for Northern Kosovo," Mijacic explained.

He added that the organization of elections in Kosovo has significantly complicated the implementation of policies related to Serbian imports. Since the government in Pristina is currently operating in a technical mandate, no one is actively addressing the issue, but it must be resolved in the near future.

"Perhaps Mr. Sorensen could also get involved. It is absolutely necessary to ensure the regular supply of Serbian goods to Kosovo and Metohija, so that imports can continue without disruptions. At the same time, it is important to maintain the supply of Serbian products to the residents of northern Kosovo, who are accustomed to them," Mijacic emphasized.