Thaci Thanks Bulgaria for Readiness to Save Kosovo from Starvation

Kosovo PM Thaci has thanked Bulgaria for its readiness to provide his country with food in a time of shortage. EPA/BGNES

Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim Thaci has thanked Bulgaria for its declared readiness to provide foot imports to the new Balkan republic.

"We thank Bulgaria for its readiness to provide Kosovo with food in the event of a shortage, and even to open its State Reserve for that," Thaci stated upon welcoming Bulgarian Minister of Agriculture and Foods Miroslav Naydenov in Prishtina, as cited by the press service of the Bulgarian Agriculture Ministry.

Naydenov was in Kosovo for talks with his Kosovo counterpart Blerand Stavileci to hammer out specifics about Bulgarian exports of food to Kosovo, as the young republic is seeking ways to make up for an embargo its government imposed in July on products coming from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The crisis emerged over the latters' refusal to acknowledge Kosovo's Customs stamps as an independent country and banning the import of Kosovo-made goods. Until now, Kosovo imported food products from Serbia valued at EUR 300 M with 80% of them being food.

Speaking to Bulgaria's Agriculture Minister Naydenov, Kosovo PM Thaci has expressed hopes that Bulgaria would be able to help Kosovo with the creation of a state food reserve of its own as well as with the transfer of agricultural know-how and technologies and the introduction of EU agricultural and food standards.

Thaci further stated that the development of agriculture was a major priority for his government. Thaci also sent "sincere greetings and thanks to his friend" Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, according to the Agriculture Ministry statement.

"We hope to increase the bilateral trade and to sign a cooperation agreement in order to give guarantees to the business sector. Kosovo can rely on Bulgaria to provide it with food in the event of a shortage," Bulgaria's Agricultural Minister Naydenov declared in turn.

He said the two countries also needed to sign an agreement to avoid dual taxation.

"Bulgaria's experience with its EU membership is important for us so that we don't repeat your mistakes," Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade and Industry Mimosa Kusari-Lila also told Naydenov in Prishtina Wednesday, after visiting Sofia last week to sound out the possibility about Bulgarian food imports.

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