State Department: Talks in Brussels on the dinar must continue urgently

The State Department has stated that talks in Brussels regarding the regulation issued by the Central Bank of Kosovo, which prohibited transactions in dinars in Kosovo, must urgently continue, Gazeta Express reports.

"The dialogue mediated by the European Union is the proper channel for addressing issues related to the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia," the State Department spokesperson said for Radio Free Europe, commenting on the talks held on Tuesday.

He added that the United States had been clear in expressing concerns about this new regulation.

He reiterated calls for Kosovo and Serbia to reduce tensions and engage "seriously and urgently" in efforts to "achieve a peaceful and productive relationship within the EU-facilitated dialogue."

The EU Special Envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, stated that many political questions remained unanswered and that further meetings were needed.

Ahmet Ismaili, the Governor of the Central Bank of Kosovo, who led the Kosovo delegation, stated that the regulation had not been discussed but rather the opportunities it offered for transferring funds from other countries to Kosovo.

The Serbian delegation was led by chief negotiator Petar Petkovic, who stated that the regulation of the Central Bank of Kosovo required a solution at the political level.