Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama noted Kosovo’s right to respect its own constitution in connection with the new rules of the Central Bank and reaffirmed that the euro is the only legal tender in the country.
The Central Bank of Kosovo has recently published rules that make the euro the only legal tender in the country and that any other foreign currency cannot be used in the country’s financial system except in special circumstances.
Belgrade criticised these decisions, stressing that some Kosovo Serbs continue to receive payments from Serbia in dinars and use foreign currency locally. As a result, the European Union has condemned what it calls Kosovo’s “unilateral” move, which risks further straining relations between the two countries. Rama wrote on X:
While we all agree that Kosovo’s government should engage, coordinate, and work more closely with its key allies, let’s also not lose sight of Kosovo’s undeniable right to enforce its constitution.
Kosovo’s constitution states that “the Republic of Kosovo shall use one single currency as legal tender” and that “the Central Banking Authority of Kosovo shall be independent”, meaning that calls for Kurti to change the decision are unfounded.
The Kosovo government has promised an indefinite transition period for Kosovo Serbs to get used to using the euro instead of the dinar. It claims the decisions are aimed at combating money laundering and terrorism and has urged Kosovo Serbs to open bank accounts and become part of the country’s legal system.
The head of Kosovo’s Central Bank, Ahmet Ismaili, told BIRN that no one is prohibited from storing, converting or accepting dinars as long as everything is done through legal means.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, its constitution came into force on 15 June of the same year.
