Kosovo lifts trade ban on Serbian products at Merdare border crossing

Kosovo has lifted a 16-month ban on Serbian products at the Merdare border crossing. The ban was initially imposed to prevent potential arms shipments for Serb separatists. Customs agents will closely monitor goods entering Kosovo. The decision aligns with efforts by Western nations to improve relations between Kosovo and Serbia. Other border crossings will reopen once equipped with new scanners. Tensions had escalated in May 2023 over local governance issues in Serb-majority areas. Germany warned Kosovo that failing to restore trade could lead to exclusion from key regional agreements. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, which Serbia does not recognize.