DECISION ON SUSPENDING CUSTOMS DUTIES FOR GOODS FROM AMERICA NOT CONSIDERED, SOME WANT EU TO DECIDE EVERYTHING

SARAJEVO, JUNE 2 /SRNA/ – The Council of Ministers today did not consider the decision to suspend customs duties on imports of goods originating from the United States due to a lack of consent within the Collegium, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations in the Council of Ministers Staša Košarac said.

Košarac expressed regret over the fact that some believe the EU Delegation should be consulted on every matter. "The decision in favor of suspending customs duties, which was a burning topic, was not considered because there was no consensus within the Collegium of the Council of Ministers. I believe that suspending customs duties would have been a good move for talks with the US administration at a time of ongoing customs issues between the US and other countries," Košarac told reporters in Sarajevo. He emphasized that BiH’s economy is significantly smaller and has no ambition to be compared to that of the US, and that it would be beneficial and important for BiH institutions to engage in communication with the US administration, as many countries in the region and around the world are doing. Košarac explained that the proposed decision, submitted by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, entailed a temporary ban or suspension of customs tariffs – meaning that customs duties on goods from the US would be set at zero percent. "Our assessment indicates that this would be a good negotiating position for BiH in talks with the US administration," Košarac said. He stated that it is important to continue communication on this issue and pointed to the reasons why the Council of Ministers did not consider the decision today. "Many are still trapped by the notion that we are bound by the Stabilization and Association Agreement, that it is ‘sacred law,’ and worry about what the EU Delegation will say. Once again, I call for sovereignty in this country and for the institutions to make decisions without fearing what the EU Delegation will say," Košarac added. Košarac called on the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Council of Ministers and leader of the People and Justice party, Elmedin Konaković, to return the excavator, saying he doesn’t know how to use it and that he would instead send him a mousetrap. "I appeal for him to return the excavator. Here’s a mousetrap for him and /Minister of Transport and Communications Edin/ Forto so they can deal with communal issues, because clearly they’re good for nothing else," Košarac said. He assessed that Konaković is in a state of panic and fear, contaminating political relations between Serbs, Bosniaks, and Croats. "He’s probably afraid of the year 2026 and the electoral collapse of his political party. He’s attacking the President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik, the Serb member and Chairperson of the BiH Presidency Željka Cvijanović, and attacking Republika Srpska. I think after June 3 he’ll start attacking HDZ, and even /Christian/ Schmidt. Let him deal with rats and we’ll see if he can manage that, since he can’t do anything with an excavator," Košarac concluded.