Stano: Lajcak invited Belgrade, Pristina to Feb 27 meeting, Bislimi's behaviour unacceptable

BRUSSELS - European Commission spokesperson Peter Stano confirmed on Thursday the EU special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue Miroslav Lajcak has invited both parties to a February 27 meeting in Brussels to discuss Pristina's ban on the Serbian dinar, and noted that Pristina chief negotiator Besnik Bislimi's behaviour towards Lajcak was "unacceptable."

"We hope that Mr Bislimi will appreciate the efforts, instead of baselessly accusing EU officials. Such behavior is unacceptable," Stano said in a press statement submitted to media outlets.

Stano said an invitation letter by Lajcak did not specify who should be representing the respective parties at the meeting and that it was up to Belgrade and Pristina to decide on that.

He said Lajcak's invitation was a result of meetings held last week in Munich by EU foreign policy and security chief Josep Borrell with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Pristina's PM Albin Kurti to discuss the dinar ban.

Stano said this in response to accusations by Bislimi that Lajcak was violating principles he himself had set as, under the principles, no issue can be put on the agenda without prior agreement by the two parties.

Under a regulation recently adopted by the so-called Kosovo's central bank, the euro is the only currency in which cash transactions can be made in Kosovo-Metohija.

The regulation, which entered into force on February 1, has effectively banned the dinar, putting into question the livelihood of Kosovo-Metohija Serbs who receive their incomes from Serbia in that currency.

Due to the regulation and a resulting shortage of dinars, Serbs in the north of Kosovo-Metohija are unable to withdraw their money from their bank accounts and are forced to travel to central Serbia to do so.