The branch of the Postal Savings Bank near Merdare has been opened: A temporary measure until normal payment transactions are established in Kosovo

The Postal Savings Bank has set up a mobile branch near Merdare to ensure continuity in payments and provide easier access to cashiers and other banking transactions for the Serbs in Kosovo, Aleksandar Trifunovic from the Postal Savings Bank says for Kosovo Online. He emphasizes that this measure is temporary until normal banking transactions are established in Kosovo.

"Due to the dinar and Serbian payment transactions ban in Kosovo since February 1st, our people are unable to withdraw their salaries, pensions, social benefits, and other payments, forcing them to travel hundreds of kilometers to the nearest locations in central Serbia," Trifunovic reminds.

He states that because of this, the Postal Savings Bank set up a container at Merdare over the weekend to ensure continuity in payments and provide easier access to cashiers and other banking transactions for the Serbs in Kosovo.

"With the installation of this container starting today, we are closer to our people in Kosovo and Metohija. It will be available every working day and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and here people will be able to perform all banking transactions, including deposits, withdrawals, currency exchange, and other banking transactions. There is also an ATM that will operate 24/7. By setting up this branch near the administrative crossing in these difficult times for the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, easier access to withdrawals is facilitated logistically. This is, of course, of a temporary nature until the issue is resolved and normal banking transactions are established in Kosovo and Metohija," Trifunovic emphasizes.

A resident of Laplje Selo, Jovan Mirkovic, said that it was significant that Serbia had enabled the Serbs from Kosovo to withdraw their salaries not far from the administrative crossing, rather than having to go to distant cities in central Serbia.

"We gathered here today to withdraw our salaries just a few kilometers from the Merdare administrative crossing. The state of Serbia has enabled us to at least not have to go to more distant cities for our salaries," Mirkovic said.

He expressed hope that the authorities in Pristina would abandon the regulation to abolish the dinar.

"It's not easy, but we're managing," he concluded.

Jovan Jovanovic from Gracanica says that it's not easy to travel such a long distance just to withdraw money that has been earned.

"The money we are withdrawing here is what we have earned. But, okay, we are at an age where we can endure such a journey. This is a big burden for older people, and retirees; surely, traveling to withdraw money is not pleasant for them. However, I think this is a bigger problem for the economy of Kosovo and Kosovo's institutions. When we come here to withdraw money, we spend it in nearby stores, fill up the gas here, and buy cigarettes, and other things. This will affect the economy of Kosovo; I believe it is a much greater loss for them than for us who travel 100 kilometers," Jovanovic said.