Momirovic: CEFTA blocked for two years due to Pristina's negative policy; the "Open Balkan" will not be given up

Continuous economic cooperation with CEFTA member countries is of great importance for Serbia, the Minister of Internal and Foreign Trade of Serbia, Tomislav Momirovic assesses, who says that the "Open Balkan" initiative is avant-garde and serves to connect economies that have not been able to do so for decades. He also notes that Albin Kurti's destructive behavior creates a problem that will not be solved as long as the highest European representatives tolerate the behavior of Pristina.

Momirovic points out for Kosovo Online that the CEFTA countries are strategic economic partners of Serbia, to which Serbia also records high exports, but that, unfortunately, it has been practically blocked for two years now, caused by the institutions in Pristina.

"It is a part of their negative policy, completely contrary to European values, and European philosophy; they have blocked the trade of Serbian goods in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija. We strongly fight against it because, with such actions and behavior, you are breaking the last ties between the Serbs and the Albanians; you are destroying one exceptional market, you are spoiling business for the business community", Momirovic said.

He believes that Europe must react more strongly and stop Pristina's practice of putting economic topics on the political table.

"It is not only about trade between central Serbia and Kosovo and Metohija but about the market that we have built in the last 10, 15 years, about the exchange between all companies from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, and Kosovo and Metohija. Regardless of the political differences that exist, we must work together to stimulate the economy, to stimulate trade exchange because that is what our citizens want, whether they are Serbs or Albanians", the Minister said.

As he says, Belgrade must raise the standard, and do everything opposite to what the institutions of Pristina are doing, because economic progress, more companies, better jobs, higher wages, and better prospects, especially for young people, is a task that needs to be fulfilled.

From January 1, Serbia will assume the presidency of CEFTA, and Momirovic, answering the question of whether this will enable it to have some mechanisms to influence those who do not respect that regional agreement, points out that the problem will continue to exist as long as the highest European representatives tolerate this behavior of Pristina.

He points out that he does not think that only companies from central Serbia will face the problem, but also companies from Kosovo, but also the Albanians in Kosovo, and above all the Serbs in the north of Kosovo, which he points out, live in a permanent survival crisis.

"That permanent crisis was caused by that ban, which generates a creeping ethnic cleansing, but also a humanitarian disaster. We must stop it together, Europe must strongly raise its voice and stop Kosovo, which is a protectorate. The supreme authority in Kosovo is not the Prime Minister, but KFOR, and that we are all aware of", Momirovic emphasized.

He called on all CEFTA members to jointly establish preconditions for the elementary life not only of the Serbs but also for the development of the economic community in this part of Europe.

The second international wine fair "Wine Vision by Open Balkan" is held from November 16 to 19 at the Belgrade Fair, under the auspices of the Governments of Serbia, North Macedonia, and Albania, as a part of the "Open Balkan" Initiative, and Momirovic says that the fair is a good opportunity to continue with the development of the policy of economic progress.

The minister says that the "Open Balkan" is an avant-garde initiative, initiated by the highest representatives of Serbia, North Macedonia, and Albania in order to connect economically and, as he points out, what could not be common in the economic story for decades, perhaps even centuries, now it is.

"Of course, when you have in the story one person like Albin Kurti, a person who destroys everything, it is very difficult for the Albanian leadership to stay on that line when they are under such pressure", he said.

He reminded that Kurti had changed the name of the street in Tetovo, North Macedonia and that today the street of the Second Macedonian Strike Brigade in Skopje was called "Adem Demaci".

"He abolished the street dedicated to one of the shock brigades from the Second World War and named it after an extremist from the communist period. We have a dangerous phenomenon on the territory of the Balkans that is completely different from everything that exists here now, completely contrary to the European future of our country, and in those circumstances, it is very difficult to talk about economic growth and progress", he said.

However, as Momirovic states, the idea of "Open Balkan" will not be given up.

"The wine fair is a good reason to further develop this policy, however, the wine fair is not the essence, the essence is to bring together the highest representatives of the Serbs, Albanians, and Macedonians, to further encourage our economic cooperation", he says.

He reminds that in the previous period, they abolished a large number of fiscal and parafiscal levies between the three states, and various barriers, that the turnover of goods, primarily food, and agricultural goods, was accelerated, and that costs were reduced. As he points out, these are significant things, real things that generate new jobs and provide added value.

"On the other hand, we have a man who is working to create a 'Greater Albania', he is directly working on it. Europe must decide whether we are going towards the EU or whether we are going to cultivate people who put weapons in the foreground. It cannot be both because Europe is the opposite of what Albin Kurti is doing", Momirovic points out.

As he adds, Europe is to travel freely, to trade freely, to make people feel at home everywhere, and not to have "a man from one community change the name of a street in another country".

"Complete distortion. Things must be cut at the root. Unfortunately, that plant of evil has sprouted and grown quite a bit, but we definitely have to solve it", Momirovic stated.