Kadri Veseli

The decision to increase by 100 percent fees on goods from central Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina was made by Pristina in November, leading to a standstill in the EU-mediated Kosovo dialogue, as Belgrade is demanding the abandoning of this measure before the negotiations could continue.

Sharp disagreements among Kosovo officials over whether the import tax of 100 per cent on goods from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina should be revoked have fresh sparked warnings that the government could fall and be forced to hold snap elections.

Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj is not budging from his stance that the tax will only be scrapped when Serbia recognises Kosovo.

Kosovo's premier Ramush Haradinaj on Tuesday reinforced his message that Pristina wants negotiations on the basis of "principles of mutual recognition" with Belgrade if it is to drop its 100 per cent tariffs on Serbian goods.

 Speaker of Kosovo Parliament and chairman of Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, Kadri Veseli said the 100 percent tax imposed by Government on all imported goods from Serbia and Bosnia will not be revoked, but it may be suspended temporarily under some conditions as a good will sign towards the US and European Union, Gazeta Express reported.

This scenario is realistic, explained Haradinaj, because the Democratic Party of Kosovo, led by Kadri Veseli, who is also the president of the Assembly, could leave the government.

Haradinaj told the website syri.net that he was "not afraid of elections that would occur in that case," adding that his coalition partner Veseli "could take steps to leave the government."

The Kosovo president said in a statement to Klan Kosova broadcaster that the decision was "right and sincere," but that, as he specified, "three or four government carriers" should not be abusing it for other interests, which are detrimental to Kosovo's interests.

Kosovo's parliament on Friday on a second reading approved three draft laws on the Kosovo Security Force, KSF, expanding its competences and creating a legal base for its transformation into a regular army.

The three draft laws concern one directly on the Kosovo Security Force, KSF, another on a Ministry of Defence and a third on service in the KSF.

According to the broadcaster, "it is expected that they will be put at the disposal of the (future) Kosovo army."

The report recalled that the Kosovo government in July signed a contract to buy 51 such vehicles.

The handover ceremony at a Kosovo Security Forces (KSF) barrack was attended by high ranking local officials and those from the US embassy.

The parliamentary group of the biggest Kosovo opposition party, the Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK on Tuesday demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj and his deputy, Fatmir Limaj, after a statement from European Commissioner Johannes Hahn that visa liberalisation with the EU is more likely to come by 2020 than the hoped-for end of 2018.

Hahn, who is in charge of EU's enlargement negotiations and neighborhood policy, will then travel to Pristina, the European Commission has confirmed for Tanjug.

The main topic of talks in Belgrade and Pristina will be the decision of the Kosovo authorities to levy (100 percent) taxes on goods from central Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH).