Konjufca: O'Brien's statement disturbing, dinar created issue with the US

Glauk Konjufca, President of the Assembly of Kosovo, deemed the sharp statement of US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O'Brien as disturbing, stating that Kosovo had jeopardized its partnership with America due to the decision of the CBK regarding the dinar.

"O'Brien's statement is disturbing. There's no need for interpretation. We want Kosovo to treat us as a partner. O'Brien believes that by halting the dinar in Kosovo, the partnership with the US is undermined. Now we should ask why that is. Why have you damaged Kosovo's relations with the US?" Konjufca stated.

He emphasized that he interpreted this by the fact that the partnership between the US and Kosovo was expected and not surprising, and the problem lied in Serbs needing to adapt to changes.

"The Serbian community has been living off the dinar for 24 years. When you get used to something, it becomes your everyday life. You wake up in the morning, go to the grocery store, pay in dinars there, at the counter, you receive your salary, your pension. Your entire life revolves around the dinar. It's a symbol of the Serbian community living in Kosovo. If you halt the dinar, their lives will be turned upside down," Konjufca said.

The President of the Kosovo Assembly emphasizes that tensions currently stem from protests by people opposing the CBK's decision.

"These pensioners have been brought out to protests, which causes unrest. Now that tension threatens Kosovo's security, and if security is jeopardized, everything can spiral out of control. When the situation gets out of control, America again takes on the greatest responsibility. Not for the tensions themselves, but they must bring everything back on track. They always look at it from a security perspective," Konjufca stated.