Petkovic: Pristina using euro illegally, dinar only legal currency

BELGRADE - The head of the Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija Petar Petkovic said on Friday an attempt to stop payment transactions with central Serbia was one of the gravest decisions by Pristina and its PM Albin Kurti and was aimed at expelling Serbs from Kosovo-Metohija, and noted that Pristina was using the euro illegally and wanted to abolish the Serbian dinar, the only legal currency.

"The so-called Kosovo has never signed any agreement whatsoever with the European Central Bank or the EU," Petkovic told the RTS.

He said this would be raised as a separate issue to see how those who were violating European norms, standards and regulations could now abolish the dinar in the territory of Kosovo-Metohija.

"At the end of the day, when you look at the Brussels dialogue and all agreements related to the establishment of a Community of Serb Municipalities, it is all based on the functionality of institutions that are within the payment transactions system of the state of Serbia," Petkovic explained, adding that this implied payment transactions in dinars.

He said Pristina's intent to deprive Kosovo-Metohija Serbs of their salaries, pensions, scholarships and other income clearly indicated it wanted a confrontation with the Serb population.

"This is an illegal decision and we have strongly opposed that method of trampling the Kosovo-Metohija Serbs underfoot," Petkovic said, adding that Belgrade had begun a diplomatic struggle against the decision as soon as it had been announced.

Speaking about the Brussels dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Petkovic said Belgrade was committed to the process of normalisation and was doing everything to make it functional while Pristina representatives were refusing dialogue.

"Whenever (EU special envoy Miroslav) Lajcak calls us, we always respond and we are present in Brussels. We have not received any invitation yet - we will let you know when we do," he said.