Kosovo’s Ministry of Trade and Industry regrets the flow of the meeting of the CEFTA Joint Committee on 6 December 2018.
Kosovo's Ministry of Trade and Industry regrets the flow of the meeting of the CEFTA Joint Committee on 6 December 2018.
Since 2007, Kosovo has made considerable efforts to implement the CEFTA Agreement and its contribution to strengthening the process of regional economic integration.
During this period, Kosovo was seriously affected by the unjustified restrictions imposed on its trade by both Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Kosovo has repeatedly raised these issues at many CEFTA official meetings, including on various meetings of the Joint Committee, and has not been able to receive any positive response from the relevant CEFTA Parties.
Kosovo strongly believes in the benefits of free trade and regional economic integration in compliance with the letter and spirit of the CEFTA Agreement. However, trade and economic integration should be comprehensive in the regional aspect and not be affected by measures with political objectives.
Kosovo has maintained during all this time waiting for a constructive bilateral dialogue or friendly solution that can be created with its trading partners in the context of CEFTA.
In this context, Kosovo as the chair of CEFTA for 2018 organized the CEFTA Week during which meetings were held with the business community, a conference with international organizations and official meetings of CEFTA bodies, respectively the CEFTA Point of Contacts Committee and the CEFTA Joint Committee. By fully respecting the practices established in CEFTA since 2007, all political sensitivities of CEFTA parties and previous agreements agreed within the bilateral dialogue, Kosovo has sent official invitations to all CEFTA Parties. Despite all the confirmations made in accordance with the diplomatic rules of conduct for all CEFTA signatories, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Moldova did not participate in the CEFTA Week and in the meeting of the CEFTA Points of Contact Committee.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry was informed of the participation of these three parties at the Joint Committee meeting in the evening on 5 December 2018. Despite this last minute information for confirmation, Kosovo authorities have completed all necessary measures to welcome delegations from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Moldova. In addition, Kosovo has positively accepted the participation of these three CEFTA Parties that would lead to a successful meeting of the Joint Committee and the adoption of important ministerial conclusions.
Prior to the official start of the meeting of the CEFTA Joint Committee, Kosovo as Chair of CEFTA and the head of the delegation from Serbia agreed that the respective delegations would use the language in compliance with the bilateral agreement for their verbal presentations for the sake of to ensure the smooth continuation of the meeting, to enable the adoption of the Ministerial Conclusions.
Kosovo regrets that the agreement reached between the relevant heads of Kosovo and Serbia's Delegation was not followed by the Serbian delegation during their presentation at the opening of the meeting of the CEFTA Joint Committee. Following this development, Kosovo's delegation was forced to leave the meeting room, the practice of which was followed by another CEFTA party. Following this incident that was caused by statements made by Serbia in violation of the bilateral agreement, the meeting of the CEFTA Joint Committee had to terminate the session without any conclusions.
In this regard, Kosovo considers that the termination of diplomatic or consular relations between the parties to the CEFTA Agreement does not affect the legal relations established between them by the CEFTA Agreement in accordance with Article 63 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, provided that the existence of diplomatic or consular relations is necessary for the implementation of the CEFTA Agreement.
This statement does not violate the rights of any signatory to the CEFTA Agreement.