Kosovo authorities were not happy to introduce the 100 percent tariffs on Bosnian products, but Bosnia has not granted recognition to Kosovo and has proven to be an obstacle, said Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj on Friday.
Haradinaj spoke to reporters in Poznan, Poland, after attending the Summit of Western Balkan prime ministers there.
Last November, Pristina authorities introduced 100 percent import tariffs for the goods from Bosnia and Serbia, the only regional countries that have not recognised Kosovo as an independent state.
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“We were forced to introduce some measures, such as tariffs. That was not done for the sake of populism because we were forced to do it,” he said, adding that Kosovo is “prepared to lift the taxes, but we need mutual recognition.”
“If someone doesn’t recognise our existence, then it is impossible to have economic relations” he stressed.
Bosnia, however, has a complex decision-making structure based on consensus between the three main ethnic groups – Bosniaks, Bosnian Croats and Bosnian Serbs. The policies Bosnian Serb politicians press for are usually in line with Serbia.
“I am sorry that the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is like that. We were not happy that we had to include Bosnia in the package of measures. However, Bosnia did not recognise Kosovo, and we have other obstacles coming from Bosnia,” he said.
Haradinaj stressed that the decision was made “because we respect ourselves, not because we are against Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
“That reality (of Kosovo’s independence) was accepted by Poland, Germany, The US (…) the time will come for Serbia as well,” he said.
