Tax collection kicks off at crossing Jarinje and Brnjak

The collection of taxes on the goods entering northern Kosovo from central Serbia began at the Jarinje and Brnjak administrative crossings at 8 a.m. on Saturday, in line with the Brussels agreement on the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina, Tanjug news agency has reported.

Under the CEFTA agreement, customs duties are not levied on the goods from central Serbia at the crossings, but only excise duties and VAT.

The payment could be done at the very crossings, at which a counter of one of the banks operating in both central Serbia and Kosovo has been installed.

This means that, for example, the goods going to Leposavic in northern Kosovo will not have to be directed to the terminal in the southern part of Mitrovica, but will pay the taxes at the administrative crossings.

The control of goods and passengers at Jarinje and Brnjak is carried out by members of the Kosovo police, Serbian Ministry of the Interior, EULEX and customs authorities.

On Saturday morning, a stretch of trucks, long several kilometers, waited to enter Kosovo-Metohija at this crossing.

In the first two hours since the collection of taxes began, only drivers transporting goods to other parts of Kosovo (and not to northern Kosovo) managed to enter the territory.

Mayors and presidents of interim bodies of northern Kosovska Mitrovica, Leposavic, Zubin Potok and Zvecan urged businessmen and citizens of northern Kosovo-Metohija (KiM) on Saturday to comply with the regulation on the flow of goods that envisages the collection of taxes on the goods coming from central Serbia across the Jarinje and Brnjak crossings.

In line with UNSC Resolution 1244 and the CEFTA agreement, the implementation of the regulation on the flow of goods began on Saturday, which means that excise duties and VAT will be levied on the goods coming from central Serbia to northern Kosovo.

The entire procedure at the administrative crossings will be status-neutral and conducted in Serbian, and the whole sum, comprising excise duties and VAT, will go to the fund for development of the northern part of the province, the Serbian government's Office for Kosovo-Metohija announced.

- That is why we are calling on businessmen and citizens of northern Kosovo-Metohija to fully adhere to the agreements that Serbia signed, which are in the interest of all citizens living and working in that part of Serbia's territory - presidents of interim bodies and mayors noted.

We agree that the CEFTA agreement and provisions of Resolution 1244 be also implemented in northern Kosovo-Metohija, as in other parts of Serbia, the release reads.