Shahini: EU sanction threats are real, consequences could be catastrophic

The President of the Alliance of Kosovo Businesses, Agim Shahini, stated that the opening of the main bridge on the Ibar River, despite its political symbolism, could lead to catastrophic punitive measures for Kosovo.

"For me, the bridge is open, but for someone else, the bridge is closed. I believe it is a political symbol, but it can directly affect Kosovo, leading to severe measures that could be catastrophic for Kosovo. This is a real threat, and that threat could lead to a loss of significant support on the ground. The threat could even include a travel ban for certain individuals to the EU or the suspension of visa liberalization if we continue to take unilateral actions that are not in line with the EU," Shahini stated to Kosovo Online.

As he said, Kosovo has already been under EU sanctions for nearly two years, but this is the least of the problems.

"We have lost financial, political, and diplomatic support, which cannot be measured in money. Since the EU sanctions, Kosovo has not become a member of any international mechanisms, nor has it gained any new recognitions. We even had a deficit of around 600 million euros in foreign investments from the European Union, from funds for schools, over these two years. And now, we are not talking about lifting the previous sanctions but about facing additional punitive measures. Therefore, the Government of Kosovo is both obligated and responsible to be more cautious in every decision it makes. It is necessary not to make decisions independently but in collaboration with the international community, which is our main partner," Shahini emphasized.