Friday, September 13th 2013
Hopes of a rapid settlement of the trade war between Kosovo and Macedonia remain, although Thursday’s planned summit on the issue in Skopje failed to take place.
Macedonia on Thursday said no deal on ending the trade dispute between the two countries was in sight as yet, after Kosovo’s Vice Prime Minister, Hajredin Kuci, failed to come to Skopje for planned talks.
However, the Macedonian authorities said the two sides are in constant telephone contact, trying to solve the row.
Kuci delivered his own press statement on Thursday, also sounding optimistic.
“We are in permanent consultations with the Macedonian government… and we are on the right path towards finding a solution,” he said.
Both sides have said they will scrap their own restrictive measures – but only as long as the other side gives way first.
Kosovo imposed an embargo on Macedonian food imports in response to Macedonia’s imposition of protectionist measures on wheat and flour imports from Kosovo.
In September, Macedonia stopped curbing wheat imports and announced that it might soon do the same with flour.
But the dispute escalated a notch last Sunday when Macedonia started to impose charges on Kosovo citizens entering Macedonia of two euro per person, five per car and 20 per bus or truck.
As a result, Kosovo imposed a total embargo on the import of Macedonian products.
Meanwhile, the Macedonian association of transport companies, Makamtrans, has continued blocking the two border crossings at Blace and Jazince for a fourth day. All motorized traffic has been halted, forcing people to cross on foot.
The association is blocking the border in protest against the trade war, which it says is affecting its members directly.
Kosovo is one of Macedonia’s main trading partners and is one of the few countries with which it has a trade surplus, especially in agricultural and oil products.
Last year, Macedonia exported products worth 392 million US dollars to Kosovo, while importing products worth only 28 million dollars.
Balka