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Kosovo: Euro or bust?

The Kosovan government is banning the use of Serb dinars, and curbing imports - for security, it says. But local Serbs feel victimised. Could the moves really trigger violence?

It's a quarter of a century since Kosovo emerged from a brutal war, one which pitted local ethnic Albanians against Serbs. Twenty-five years on, the government in Pristina is pressing ahead with reforms that could reinforce its separation from Serbia. They include banning the use of Serb dinars and curbing the import of things like Serb medicines. Pristina says the moves are needed to curb illegality and tax-evasion. But they’ve brought widespread complaints from local Serbs who feel victimised. Is the government justified in claiming there’s a rising risk of violence, or are the restrictions themselves making this more likely?

Producer and presenter: Ed Butler
Studio mix: Rod Farquhar
Editor: Penny Murphy
Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman

(Image: Kosovan Serbs protesting the government move to ban their favoured currency, the Serb dinar, in favour of the euro. Credit:Georgi Licovski/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

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27 minutes

Last on

Sun 5 May 2024 18:32GMT

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  • Tue 30 Apr 2024 01:32GMT
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  • Sat 4 May 2024 22:32GMT
  • Sun 5 May 2024 15:06GMT
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