Kosovo imposes high reference prices on Albanian cement

TIRANA, June 13 – The Kosovo government has imposed high reference prices for cement imported from Albania favouring a local producer in Kosovo owned by Greece’s Titan, Kosovo media report. The decision has been taken under an ordinance by Kosovo’s Minister of Trade and Industry Mimoza Kusari-Lila who has imposed a 35 percent reference price on imports of cement from Albania on grounds of protecting domestic production.
Kosovo’s daily Koha Ditore reports that although imposed on all Albanian producers the measure mostly affects a cement plant in Fushe-Kruja, Albania, which has been dominating the Kosovo market.
Data from Kosovo’s Chamber of Commerce show cement dominated imports from Albania in 2011 with 226,847 tonnes worth 14.5 million euros.
Earlier this year, Albania introduced reference prices on Kosovo potatoes which Kosovo considered as unacceptable under the CEFTA agreement and warned of imposing reciprocity measures.
According to INSTAT data, Kosovo ranked the third biggest destination of Albanian exports in 2011 with an estimated 14.7 billion lek, (Euro 103 million), up 47 percent compared to 2010.