BELGRADE -- Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic responds to an emergency meeting at the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron, also attended by Hashim Thaci
Vucic after a sudden meeting with Macron on Europe's agenda, Thaci, "Mini Schengen"
BELGRADE -- Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic responds to an emergency meeting at the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron, also attended by Hashim Thaci
Source: B92, Tanjug
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Foto: Tanjug/AP/Ludovic Marin/Pool
After the meeting, Vucic stated that Macron and Europe wanted to play the most important role on the Kosovo issue, but that no "in-depth" meeting had taken place.
"The French President said this in the first place referring to himself and the German Chancellor, as well as to the European institutions", he said.
Asked if Macron had insisted on abolishing the tax, Vucic recalled that the French head of state had spoken about it on numerous occasions.
"Thaci is aware of this. It is not a question that should be debated, everyone knows about it and it goes without saying. We are waiting for them to abolish fees and talk, of course, if they want to talk about reaching a compromise", Vucic said.
At that unannounced meeting, Macron wanted to hear about current state of affairs.
"When they abolish the tariffs on Serbian goods, we can resume dialogue", Vucic reiterated.
As he said, he was realistic, slightly a pessimist, but truly honest.
"We didn't go too deep into the issues, nor is it possible to resolve it in such a way", Vucic sad, adding that Thaci said that they are going to form the Government in early December, while he said they won't.
"Them Thaci agreed with me on this", Vucic said.
In the context of "mini Schengen", Vucic said that he was interested in Serbian manufacturers, not Albanian.
"We need an open market because we want to be the strongest player. Why can't we have fast truck lanes and transport goods faster? I don't understand what is at stake and what they resent", President Vucic wondered after criticism of the opposition over "Mini Schengen."
Namely, Macron met with Vucic last night, with whom he spoke for more than an hour.
Macron had earlier reiterated his intention to engage France more directly in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, which has been deadlocked for a long time.
(Fair Game, 16 November 2019 09:02)
I know perfectly well how tariffs work. I have had to fend off your brethren on this issue many times when these same tariffs were imposed, and they were convinced that Belgrade paid those taxes.
In theory what you say is true, but here is the catch. Many products that would be shipped into Kosovo from say Turkey or other parts of Europe end up being far more expensive despite not being subject to tariffs. This is because when you add transportation on top of the product the end cost to the consumer is much higher.
The current supplier of food stuffs to the Croatian army buys most from Serbia. Why? In his words; it’s high quality and cost to transport is low.
Its so funny that Albanians think that the Kosovo economy is crippling Belgrade. Please stop dreaming. It’s a backwater and all this talk about Kosovo being a power house is BS. It’s all political point scoring and people like you believe it as truth.
Ask the American consumer if they have managed to find cheaper alternative products to Chinese goods since the tariffs were introduced, or are they paying more for the same?
(sj, 19 November 2019 09:58)
sj,
I don’t think you understand how tariffs work. The idea is to make products more expensive so the customer will ultimately choose a cheaper alternative.
And Kosovo might be a small economy but apparently it’s big enough to make this tariff matter so much to Belgrade
(Fair Game, 16 November 2019 09:02)
@ moshe fien
A bit silly
Rep Serbia's president is the one who is forming a mini shengen, how I understand.
So we cannot join in. Bloody marvelous.
(Ljiljana, 14 November 2019 11:20)
Satoshi Nakamoto, 14 November 2019 00:38)
Albos need to keep up with current events not stick to old information like gum to the footpath. When asked the population of Kosovo its always the old Yugoslav statistic of 2 million of which 1.8 is Albania and yet a proper census was never taken even by the communists.
Now its over 100 recognise Kosovo. Well that number has substantially dropped where countries that do not recognise Kosovo outnumber those that recognise it. As far as your tariffs are concerned you people are deluded since you portray Kosovo as a powerful state that rivals the US, China or Russia. It’s a backwater.
As far as not lifting tariffs here is what the outgoing Australian Ambassador, Joe Hockey, said about tariffs between US and China. Pay close attention.
“The US is ultimately hurting itself. Let’s be really clear. Tariffs are taxes imposed by governments on their own people. “If citizens of other countries don’t have the same restrictions, they win.”
Tariffs are a TAX imposed by the government on its own people. Please raise those tariffs from 100% to 1000% and see who hurts LOL.
(sj, 14 November 2019 10:08)
Staff,
Over 100 permanent members ( a majority) of the UN do not recognize the borders of Serbia as defined by Belgrade. The tariffs imposed on Serbia and the Bosnian Serb entity are still in effect with no chance of being lifted until Serbia recognizes Kosovo.
(Satoshi Nakamoto, 14 November 2019 00:38)
The significant question (which this article failed to address) is whether "staff" was invited!
(Make Serbia Great, 12 November 2019 18:01)
The significant question is will Simple Simon ever make a worth while comment instead of its usual gibberish? We wait with bated breath LOL.
(sj, 13 November 2019 12:59)
The only albanian politician who understand it is Thaci.
I am not so very fond of Thaci and I am sure he will end up in the Hague as many others, but one cannot take away from him that he is quite smart. (Maybe that's why he is called snake.)
Anyhow, he is one of the few who has understood that Kosovo is long gone for the albanians. He has been to meetings, seminars, he has heard what leaders say, he has talked a lot with Vucic and so on.
The supporters for Kosovo are falling rapidly. Even US has said that the topic is between Serbia and Kosovo.
Its clear to everyone now, excepts some keyboard warriors here on this site, that Kosovo as it is now, will never be an own state.
The albanians will be extremely disappointed, but they will be slapped by their masters, the US, to shut up and that is with that.
Its amazing that some albanians still thinks otherwise. If Kosovo as a whole would be independent, it would have been it by now.
But still there are UN quarterly meetings, the UNSCR 1244 is in force, there are discussions in forums, the recognitions are falling, half of the world see Kosovo as Serbia, Russia and China, who are permanent members of UN have said NO, I could go on and on.
Independent? Not a chance in the universe.
(Staff, 13 November 2019 11:55)
Serbia will not be part of the Mini Schengen unless Serbia first recognizes Kosovo. The tariffs will remain in effect till then.
(Moshe Fien, 12 November 2019 21:55)
The only albanian politician who understand it is Thaci.
I am not so very fond of Thaci and I am sure he will end up in the Hague as many others, but one cannot take away from him that he is quite smart. (Maybe that's why he is called snake.)
Anyhow, he is one of the few who has understood that Kosovo is long gone for the albanians. He has been to meetings, seminars, he has heard what leaders say, he has talked a lot with Vucic and so on.
The supporters for Kosovo are falling rapidly. Even US has said that the topic is between Serbia and Kosovo.
Its clear to everyone now, excepts some keyboard warriors here on this site, that Kosovo as it is now, will never be an own state.
The albanians will be extremely disappointed, but they will be slapped by their masters, the US, to shut up and that is with that.
Its amazing that some albanians still thinks otherwise. If Kosovo as a whole would be independent, it would have been it by now.
But still there are UN quarterly meetings, the UNSCR 1244 is in force, there are discussions in forums, the recognitions are falling, half of the world see Kosovo as Serbia, Russia and China, who are permanent members of UN have said NO, I could go on and on.
Independent? Not a chance in the universe.
(Staff, 13 November 2019 11:55)
The significant question (which this article failed to address) is whether "staff" was invited!
(Make Serbia Great, 12 November 2019 18:01)
The significant question is will Simple Simon ever make a worth while comment instead of its usual gibberish? We wait with bated breath LOL.
(sj, 13 November 2019 12:59)
@ moshe fien
A bit silly
Rep Serbia's president is the one who is forming a mini shengen, how I understand.
So we cannot join in. Bloody marvelous.
(Ljiljana, 14 November 2019 11:20)
Satoshi Nakamoto, 14 November 2019 00:38)
Albos need to keep up with current events not stick to old information like gum to the footpath. When asked the population of Kosovo its always the old Yugoslav statistic of 2 million of which 1.8 is Albania and yet a proper census was never taken even by the communists.
Now its over 100 recognise Kosovo. Well that number has substantially dropped where countries that do not recognise Kosovo outnumber those that recognise it. As far as your tariffs are concerned you people are deluded since you portray Kosovo as a powerful state that rivals the US, China or Russia. It’s a backwater.
As far as not lifting tariffs here is what the outgoing Australian Ambassador, Joe Hockey, said about tariffs between US and China. Pay close attention.
“The US is ultimately hurting itself. Let’s be really clear. Tariffs are taxes imposed by governments on their own people. “If citizens of other countries don’t have the same restrictions, they win.”
Tariffs are a TAX imposed by the government on its own people. Please raise those tariffs from 100% to 1000% and see who hurts LOL.
(sj, 14 November 2019 10:08)
Serbia will not be part of the Mini Schengen unless Serbia first recognizes Kosovo. The tariffs will remain in effect till then.
(Moshe Fien, 12 November 2019 21:55)
Staff,
Over 100 permanent members ( a majority) of the UN do not recognize the borders of Serbia as defined by Belgrade. The tariffs imposed on Serbia and the Bosnian Serb entity are still in effect with no chance of being lifted until Serbia recognizes Kosovo.
(Satoshi Nakamoto, 14 November 2019 00:38)
(Fair Game, 16 November 2019 09:02)
I know perfectly well how tariffs work. I have had to fend off your brethren on this issue many times when these same tariffs were imposed, and they were convinced that Belgrade paid those taxes.
In theory what you say is true, but here is the catch. Many products that would be shipped into Kosovo from say Turkey or other parts of Europe end up being far more expensive despite not being subject to tariffs. This is because when you add transportation on top of the product the end cost to the consumer is much higher.
The current supplier of food stuffs to the Croatian army buys most from Serbia. Why? In his words; it’s high quality and cost to transport is low.
Its so funny that Albanians think that the Kosovo economy is crippling Belgrade. Please stop dreaming. It’s a backwater and all this talk about Kosovo being a power house is BS. It’s all political point scoring and people like you believe it as truth.
Ask the American consumer if they have managed to find cheaper alternative products to Chinese goods since the tariffs were introduced, or are they paying more for the same?
(sj, 19 November 2019 09:58)
sj,
I don’t think you understand how tariffs work. The idea is to make products more expensive so the customer will ultimately choose a cheaper alternative.
And Kosovo might be a small economy but apparently it’s big enough to make this tariff matter so much to Belgrade
(Fair Game, 16 November 2019 09:02)
Serbia will not be part of the Mini Schengen unless Serbia first recognizes Kosovo. The tariffs will remain in effect till then.
(Moshe Fien, 12 November 2019 21:55)
Staff,
Over 100 permanent members ( a majority) of the UN do not recognize the borders of Serbia as defined by Belgrade. The tariffs imposed on Serbia and the Bosnian Serb entity are still in effect with no chance of being lifted until Serbia recognizes Kosovo.
(Satoshi Nakamoto, 14 November 2019 00:38)
The only albanian politician who understand it is Thaci.
I am not so very fond of Thaci and I am sure he will end up in the Hague as many others, but one cannot take away from him that he is quite smart. (Maybe that's why he is called snake.)
Anyhow, he is one of the few who has understood that Kosovo is long gone for the albanians. He has been to meetings, seminars, he has heard what leaders say, he has talked a lot with Vucic and so on.
The supporters for Kosovo are falling rapidly. Even US has said that the topic is between Serbia and Kosovo.
Its clear to everyone now, excepts some keyboard warriors here on this site, that Kosovo as it is now, will never be an own state.
The albanians will be extremely disappointed, but they will be slapped by their masters, the US, to shut up and that is with that.
Its amazing that some albanians still thinks otherwise. If Kosovo as a whole would be independent, it would have been it by now.
But still there are UN quarterly meetings, the UNSCR 1244 is in force, there are discussions in forums, the recognitions are falling, half of the world see Kosovo as Serbia, Russia and China, who are permanent members of UN have said NO, I could go on and on.
Independent? Not a chance in the universe.
(Staff, 13 November 2019 11:55)
sj,
I don’t think you understand how tariffs work. The idea is to make products more expensive so the customer will ultimately choose a cheaper alternative.
And Kosovo might be a small economy but apparently it’s big enough to make this tariff matter so much to Belgrade
(Fair Game, 16 November 2019 09:02)
The significant question (which this article failed to address) is whether "staff" was invited!
(Make Serbia Great, 12 November 2019 18:01)
The significant question is will Simple Simon ever make a worth while comment instead of its usual gibberish? We wait with bated breath LOL.
(sj, 13 November 2019 12:59)
(Fair Game, 16 November 2019 09:02)
I know perfectly well how tariffs work. I have had to fend off your brethren on this issue many times when these same tariffs were imposed, and they were convinced that Belgrade paid those taxes.
In theory what you say is true, but here is the catch. Many products that would be shipped into Kosovo from say Turkey or other parts of Europe end up being far more expensive despite not being subject to tariffs. This is because when you add transportation on top of the product the end cost to the consumer is much higher.
The current supplier of food stuffs to the Croatian army buys most from Serbia. Why? In his words; it’s high quality and cost to transport is low.
Its so funny that Albanians think that the Kosovo economy is crippling Belgrade. Please stop dreaming. It’s a backwater and all this talk about Kosovo being a power house is BS. It’s all political point scoring and people like you believe it as truth.
Ask the American consumer if they have managed to find cheaper alternative products to Chinese goods since the tariffs were introduced, or are they paying more for the same?
(sj, 19 November 2019 09:58)
@ moshe fien
A bit silly
Rep Serbia's president is the one who is forming a mini shengen, how I understand.
So we cannot join in. Bloody marvelous.
(Ljiljana, 14 November 2019 11:20)
Satoshi Nakamoto, 14 November 2019 00:38)
Albos need to keep up with current events not stick to old information like gum to the footpath. When asked the population of Kosovo its always the old Yugoslav statistic of 2 million of which 1.8 is Albania and yet a proper census was never taken even by the communists.
Now its over 100 recognise Kosovo. Well that number has substantially dropped where countries that do not recognise Kosovo outnumber those that recognise it. As far as your tariffs are concerned you people are deluded since you portray Kosovo as a powerful state that rivals the US, China or Russia. It’s a backwater.
As far as not lifting tariffs here is what the outgoing Australian Ambassador, Joe Hockey, said about tariffs between US and China. Pay close attention.
“The US is ultimately hurting itself. Let’s be really clear. Tariffs are taxes imposed by governments on their own people. “If citizens of other countries don’t have the same restrictions, they win.”
Tariffs are a TAX imposed by the government on its own people. Please raise those tariffs from 100% to 1000% and see who hurts LOL.
(sj, 14 November 2019 10:08)