Shahini: Central banks of Kosovo and Serbia to find a solution in favor of citizens

The decision of the Central Bank of Kosovo to abolish payment transactions with Serbia is correct, but citizens should be given more time to adjust to it, Agim Shahini, President of the Kosovo Business Alliance, assessed for Kosovo Online, adding that the stance of international partners was crucial in such situations.

"The Kosovo Business Alliance has considered how this decision affects Kosovo as a whole and its citizens, and we believe that the decision of the Central Bank of Kosovo is correct, but citizens should be given more time to open accounts and to figure out how to receive money, pensions, social benefits, about 130 million that comes from Serbia, and now there is some confusion about it. The Government of Kosovo should listen to the international community, the EU, and the US, who say that the decision was made hastily and should be postponed for a few months, and a deadline should be given, just like for vehicle license plates, which almost all citizens of Kosovo have now," Shahini said.

According to Shahini, the decision of the Central Bank of Kosovo is psychological, aimed at making people understand that only the euro exists in Kosovo and that there will be no more dinars.

"This is political and diplomatic and has economic effects because now the entire international community here in Kosovo and everywhere has reacted strongly to this decision. It will also affect Kosovo's integrations, and now we see that a van tried to enter Kosovo with money across the border; this should be resolved through licensing, and there should be no return of goods because in that case, money is treated as goods. I believe that the Central Bank of Kosovo and the Central Bank of Serbia should resolve this issue as soon as possible in favor of the citizens of Kosovo, who receive a monthly inflow from it," Shahini said.