Commenting on Kosovo’s decision to phase out the use of the Serbian dinar, Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Miloš Vučević, said that Serbia has no other solution but to fight politically and diplomatically for, as he put it, the survival of Serbs in Kosovo.

“Everything else, except diplomatic and political dialogue and solutions through activities of this kind, lead us to what we would not want to see,” Vučević said on February 1 during a statement for the Serbian Radio Television.

On February 1, the implementation of the Central Bank’s regulation on cash operations came into force in Kosovo, mandating the use of only the euro for payments, putting an end to the use of the Serbian dinar, which is used by local Serbs in Kosovo for payments, but they also receive pensions and subsidies from Serbia’s budget in dinars.

Vučević assessed that this decision “is an attack on the economic security” of Serbs in Kosovo and that, according to him, “impossible conditions” are being created for their survival.

He also said that Serbia remains committed to the dialogue for the normalization of relations with Kosovo, mediated by the European Union and supported by the United States.

“It is our national interest to preserve peace,” Vučević said, also emphasizing that the reintroduction of compulsory military service in Serbia has nothing to do with “problems in Kosovo”.

The Government of Kosovo stated that the implementation of the regulation for cash operations will be done through a facilitated transition.

The Kosovo executive stated that the Central Bank regulation does not imply that money transfers from Serbia will be stopped and also does not imply financial penalties for the possession of currencies of other states.

However, from February 1, the import of money will not be allowed if the institutions making the import are not licensed by the Central Bank of Kosovo.

On January 31, Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister, Besnik Bislimi, announced that a campaign would be launched to inform citizens about this regulation, adding that he hopes there will be discussions between the central banks of Kosovo and Serbia to find a mechanism for transparent money transfers.

Previously, the international community had urged Kosovo to postpone the implementation of the Central Bank regulation.