Belgrade, Priština “can only talk about plates”

Kosovo Interior Minister Bajram Rexhepi claims that Belgrade and Pristina can only talk about reciprocity in recognition of vehicle license plates. He told KiM Radio that the issue of license plates that would be used in Kosovo was Kosovo government’s internal issue and that it could not be negotiated. Belgrade, Pristina “can only talk about plates” “As far as new license plates with letters of the Kosovo towns are concerned we are never going to allow that. As far as the old plates are concerned, we will soon make a decision about how much longer we will be tolerating those plates,” the Kosovo interior minister stated. He has announced that chief of Pristina’s negotiating team Edita Tahiri will be told “what is acceptable and what is not” once the license plates have come on the agenda. Rexhepi thinks that mutual recognition of license plates is inevitable and that it needs to happen because it would remove the existing administrative obstacles. “The talks will only be about the reciprocity in recognition of the plates because mutual recognition is inevitable. It is important not only for those who travel but also for those who do business. It is going to be a big obstacle if it does not happen,” he warned. Pointing out that it was one of the EU standards that needed to be fulfilled, the Kosovo interior minister said that “it does not mean that Serbia is recognizing Kosovo but that it is a cooperation that needs to exist”. According to him, once the Kosovo government determines a deadline for the replacement of the old Serbian plates with Kosovo plates, it will not be necessary to pay for the plates again if they were already paid for in Serbia. He also added that citizens would not need to register their vehicles again and that they would only have to replace the Serbian plates with plates issued by Kosovo. Bajram Rexhepi

Belgrade, Priština “can only talk about plates”

“As far as new license plates with letters of the Kosovo towns are concerned we are never going to allow that. As far as the old plates are concerned, we will soon make a decision about how much longer we will be tolerating those plates,” the Kosovo interior minister stated.

He has announced that chief of Priština’s negotiating team Edita Tahiri will be told “what is acceptable and what is not” once the license plates have come on the agenda.

Rexhepi thinks that mutual recognition of license plates is inevitable and that it needs to happen because it would remove the existing administrative obstacles.

“The talks will only be about the reciprocity in recognition of the plates because mutual recognition is inevitable. It is important not only for those who travel but also for those who do business. It is going to be a big obstacle if it does not happen,” he warned.

Pointing out that it was one of the EU standards that needed to be fulfilled, the Kosovo interior minister said that “it does not mean that Serbia is recognizing Kosovo but that it is a cooperation that needs to exist”.

According to him, once the Kosovo government determines a deadline for the replacement of the old Serbian plates with Kosovo plates, it will not be necessary to pay for the plates again if they were already paid for in Serbia.

He also added that citizens would not need to register their vehicles again and that they would only have to replace the Serbian plates with plates issued by Kosovo.