US State Department calls on Pristina to revisit decision on Serbian dinar

WASHINGTON - The US State Department has called on Pristina to revisit a decision to abolish the Serbian dinar in Kosovo-Metohija, the US-based The Pavlovic Today internet news portal reports.

"We urge the Government of Kosovo to revisit this decision, consult with the affected communities, respond to the concerns expressed by the international community, and provide ample time for its decisions to be implemented in order to mitigate the impact those decisions will have on its citizens,” a State Department spokesperson told the portal on Tuesday evening.

Expressing Washington's concern over the regulation by the so-called Kosovo's central bank, the spokesperson said Serbia "has the right to provide financial assistance to members of the ethnic Serb community in Kosovo."

"We are concerned that regulation adopted on December 27 will negatively impact the ethnic Serb community in Kosovo," the spokesperson said.

The State Department spokesperson also reminded Pristina's PM Albin Kurti of legally binding commitments including the establishment of a Community of Serb Municipalities as the "primary mechanism through which Serbia could transparently provide financial support to institutions and individuals under Kosovo’s legal framework."

The spokesperson said individuals in Kosovo-Metohija who "legitimately receive financial assistance from Serbia need access to a functioning, legal mechanism through which they can receive that support."