ECIKS - News and analysis about Kosovo Economy in English

Prishtina, May 2004 - Koha Ditore reports on the front page that in its regular meeting, the Kosovo Government has called on the Banking and Payment Authority of Kosovo not to sign any agreement with the Central Bank of Serbia on using its SWIFT code in payment traffic. The Government has also called on the Kosovo Trust Agency (KTA) to unblock the process of privatization within ten days, otherwise it has no more excuses for stopping the process.

Mimoza Kusari, spokeswoman for the Kosovo Government in a regular press conference said that if the process of privatisation is not unblocked by the end of the month, the government would have to review its relations with the KTA.

When asked if this is an ultimatum, Kusari said, ‘It is not an ultimatum. The SRSG stated that UNMIK legal officials would travel to New York next week to discuss privatisation but if this process is not unblocked by the end of the month, then the Government will have to review its relations with the KTA since there is no justification for further delay,’ noted Koha Ditore.

On the issue of the use of Serbia’s Swift Code, the Kosovo Government sent a letter to the BPK Manager Donat Branger and to the PDSRSG Charles Brayshaw giving its reaction and asking for it to stop immediately. ‘Signing such an agreement, which on first sight might seem technical, is a dangerous tendency which is against to the aims of the Kosovo government and its citizens,’ Kusari was quoted as saying in Zëri.

The government of Kosovo felt that the BKP should continue to work as it did before by using the Swift Codes of the corresponding banks. According to Kusari, the government asked for an explanation on this initiative and asked to be informed in future if any steps are undertaken, writes Koha Ditore.

ECIKS