From this year, citizens are obliged to pay property tax for agricultural plots, but this obligation does not apply to citizens of the four municipalities in the north of the country. The Ministry of Finance has informed KosovaPress that from this year all land owners, throughout the territory of Kosovo, will pay tax for agricultural property, regardless of the fact that they are cultivated agricultural plot units or not.

About this decision of the Ministry, some mayors of the municipalities have also spoken, who did not welcome it, while some others say that it is in the best interest of the municipality.

The citizens still do not have information about this decision.

Head of the Property Tax Legal Affairs Division, Vehap Hashani, has given details to KosovaPress regarding this tax obligation.

"In August 2023, Law No. 06/L-005 on Real Estate Tax has been amended and supplemented through Law No. 08/L-224, in which case agricultural properties, namely agricultural plots (lands) throughout the territory of the Republic of Kosovo, are taxed, regardless of the fact that they are cultivated agricultural plot units or not. Exceptionally, the property tax for none of the property categories is not applied in the four northern municipalities of Kosovo for political reasons," says Hashani in a written response to KosovaPress.

In addition, he added that these parcel units are also subject to tax exemption in the amount of up to fifty thousand (50,000) euros, that is, the natural person, specifically the farmer.

"Consequently, with the new legal changes, agricultural lands starting from the tax year 2024 are taxed, however, these parcel units are also subject to tax exemption in the amount of up to fifty thousand (50,000) euros, that is, the natural person, specifically the farmer, determines which agricultural unit it wants to release until November 30 of the year, before the tax year, and the municipality releases it up to the height of the estimated value of the agricultural land, but not more than fifty thousand (50,000) euros", adds Hashani.

The Mayor of Rahovec Municipality, Smajl Latifi expressed his concern about this decision. According to him, this obligation is burdening the farmers to a great extent, while he also showed the price per area.

Latifi for KosovaPress, says that they are insisting on the Government to make the agriculture sector a priority.

The mayor of Suhareka Municipality, Bali Muharremaj, says that this decision is troubling the farmers. Although this obligation has not been welcomed by this municipality, it says that the decisions that come from above must be implemented.

Meanwhile, the mayor of Prizren Municipality, Shaqir Totaj, did not have information about this, however, he says that these decisions create income from own sources and it is good for the municipality.

Even the citizens do not have information about this.

Citizen Sadik Grajqevci says that he has no information about this decision, adding that this decision by the Ministry of Finance is not fair.

Other citizens also said behind the cameras of KosovaPress that they were not informed about this announcement.