Columns to KiM are still kilometers long

The authorities in Pristina lifted the ban on the entry of goods from central Serbia to Kosovo and Metohija, but only the Merdara administrative line was opened for its passage, so there was a big crowd and waiting for trucks with cargo at that crossing.

The column is several kilometers long, and there are several hundred trucks from the direction of Kuršumlija, so the drivers say that they have been waiting for almost 12 hours to reach the checkpoint in Pristina. Control is carried out in the customs terminal, and the entire truck load is done manually, which takes from one to two hours, so only about 20 trucks from central Serbia passed through during the day. In the column there are also trucks in transit with goods from the countries of the region for Kosovo and Metohija, which also affects the length of the wait. Passenger traffic on this administrative line is carried out without stoppages.

Western pressure

At the beginning of last week, the government in Pristina decided to lift the ban on the entry of goods from central Serbia to Kosovo and Metohija. They made this decision due to pressure from the West, primarily Germany, from which a message was sent that they will not be at the Berlin Process summit if they do not lift the ban on goods from central Serbia and agree to unblock CEFTA. Pristina explained the crowds by stating that the passage of goods at other checkpoints with central Serbia will be possible when they install scanners for control.

Prime Minister Miloš Vučević conveyed the concern about these crowds at Merdar after Pristina announced that it had lifted the ban on the entry of goods from central Serbia into AP Kosovo and Metohija, to the German envoy for the Western Balkans, Manuel Zaracin.

– We see some obstacles and blockages again, but we did not want to highlight it in the official format and spoil, in some way, the celebratory atmosphere of the tenth anniversary of the Berlin Process. But we are on the sidelines, my colleagues and I told him that what is happening in Merdar is not what the CEFTA agreement should be – the Prime Minister told reporters during the Berlin Process summit.

Foto-dokaz

As he pointed out, they gave Saracin the photos they received from the director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petković, taken in Merdar. He also emphasized that there is a contradiction, which is that some thanked Pristina for solving the CEFTA problem, while everyone forgot that Pristina created the CEFTA problem.

– Create a problem and fix it and everyone thanks you. But not to be gloomy, thank you to Chancellor Scholz for the reception, President of the European Commission and that’s it. Let’s continue to work – said Vucevic.

Asked whether the functioning of the regional market can be expected after Pristina blocked CEFTA and different behavior of the EU, he said that he had a promise from the Germans that “everything will be better or more decently arranged”.

– Prishtina allowed goods from central Serbia to enter only at the Merdare administrative crossing and still does not allow entry via Jarinje and Brnjak, under the pretext that they are waiting for scanners from Germany. This will confirm that there is also a fear of a third factor, from third countries, that we, I don’t know what, transmit through the administrative line, and that is why scanners are needed. These artificial crowds are being created, we will follow – he said.

Campaign in full swing

The Prime Minister reminded that the pre-election campaign is currently underway in the Republic of Kosovo before the elections organized by Pristina in February next year.

– In the future, there will be various challenges because of this, but it is up to the citizens of Serbia to be calm, patient and to understand that in peaceful conditions, Serbia wins – said Vucevic.

Long ban

Pristina made the decision to ban the import of goods from Serbia in mid-July 2023 for, as it was said, security reasons. They found the reason in the fact that the Serbian police arrested three Kosovo policemen who entered the territory of central Serbia, and although they were released in the meantime, the ban on importing goods from Serbia remained in force. The EU has repeatedly heard that such a decision by the Pristina authorities is contrary to the CEFTA agreement and is not in the spirit of the Stabilization and Association Agreement between “Kosovo” and the EU.