Pristina press: Taxes could be revoked in coming days

Pristina press: Taxes could be revoked in coming days

This source claims that the government of Ramush Haradnaj has launched "a tactical retreat."

According to the same source, from the ruling coalition, Haradinaj has told international partners that if they can guarantee that Serbia will recognize Kosovo, he could immediately withdraw the decision on taxes.

Haradinaj said the same during a press conference on Tuesday - when he confirmed that he received a warning from the United States because of the taxes, and that he would not be attending the Prayer Breakfast in Washington this year as his request for a US entry visa had been denied.

Zeri writes today that after receiving these US warnings, Haradinaj "started to retreat."

At the same time, Pristina-based analysts are saying that "institutional leaders should be cautious in their rhetoric, after America made a demand to abolish the fees imposed on Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina."

According to them, "the most powerful country in the world will not give up supporting Kosovo, but recent events have been worsening relations with the largest ally," Zeri writes.

Like the European Union, the United States in the past few days asked Kosovo institutions to remove the taxes as soon as possible.

The website concluded that the government has not made any decision regarding the abolition of taxes and the return to their previous level, while Haradinaj told reporters that unless Serbia "recognized Kosovo" that measure would remain in effect "(until) 2022."

Given that the increased taxes have already contributed to Haradinaj not receiving a US visa, those with knowledge of the situation assessed that such movements could seriously undermine Pristina's relations with the United States, Zeri said.