Serbian Leader Urges Kosovo Serbs To Protest Tariffs

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Thursday called on Kosovo Serbs to keep up protests against Pristina's massive customs tariff on Serbian goods, a retaliatory measure worsening tensions between the neighbours.

Belgrade, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Nov, 2018 ) :Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Thursday called on Kosovo Serbs to keep up protests against Pristina's massive customs tariff on Serbian goods, a retaliatory measure worsening tensions between the neighbours.

Brussels, Washington and the UN mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) have all urged Kosovo's government to give up the 100 percent customs tax on Serbian goods introduced a week ago.

Kosovo Serbs have been protesting since Tuesday in the divided city of Mitrovica, which has struggled with tensions between its Serb and ethnic Albanian communities since Kosovo declared independence in 2008.

Kosovo's tariff move came after it accused Belgrade of thwarting its attempt to join the global police organisation Interpol.

Serbia refuses to recognise the independence of its former province and has sought to block it from international organisations, including the UN.

Before meeting Kosovo Serbs representatives in Belgrade on Thursday, Vucic called them to "continue their peaceful protests" against "this decision which destroys regional stability and peace, without mentioning horrible economic consequences.

" The mayors of four majority-Serb municipalities in Kosovo have resigned in protest at the tariff.

Kosovo government said Thursday the move was not aimed against the Serb minority and said Serbian Orthodox churches and other religious sites were exempt.

"This sovereign decision ... comes as a result of the continuing obstacles that Serbia imposes on our country," a government statement said.

Belgrade and Pristina are under pressure from the West to relaunch dialogue on the normalisation of ties.

Majority ethnic Albanian Kosovo is still home to some 120,000 Serbs who stayed there after the 1998-1999 war and remained loyal to Belgrade.

Pristina, which declared independence in 2008, has struggled to exercise authority over Serb enclaves, particularly in the Mitrovica region bordering Serbia.

Pristina's measure has yet to trigger any significant food shortages or price surges.

Belgrade remains Kosovo's top trade partner in the Balkans, with Serbian imports -- mostly food products -- topping more than 400 million Euros ($455 million) annually.