Dielli | The Sun

Albanian American Newspaper Devoted to the Intellectual and Cultural Advancement of the Albanians in America | Since 1909

KOSOVA NË DIALOG, PËR NJOHJEN NGA SERBIA

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KRYEMINISTRI HOTI PERBALLE ALEKSANDER VUCIC: KOSOVA NË DIALOG, PËR NJOHJEN NGA SERBIA/

-Kryeministri i Kosovës Avdullah Hoti  dhe Presidenti i Serbisë Aleksandër Vuçiç në konferencë virtuale – Samitin e Parisit organizuar nga Presidenti francez, Emmanuel Macron dhe Kancelarja gjermane, Angela Merkel/

PRISHTINË, 10 Korrik 2020-Gazeta DIELLI/ Kryeministri i Republikës së Kosovës, Avdullah Hoti po merr pjesë në konferencën virtuale – Samitin e Parisit, sot nga ora 10:30, të organizuar nga Presidenti francez, Emmanuel Macron dhe Kancelarja gjermane, Angela Merkel. Në këtë video-konferencë, Bashkimi Evropian përfaqësohet nga Josep Borrell, Përfaqësuesi i lartë i politikës së jashtme, kurse Serbia nga presidenti Aleksandër Vuçiç.

 Kryeministri i Kosovës, Hoti  në 7 Korrik në Paris takoi Presidentin e Francës Macron, i cili dje takoi edhe presidentin e Serbisë Vuçiç.

 Në 12 Korrik në Bruksel takohen kryeministri i Kosovës, Avdullah Hoti, dhe presidenti i Serbisë, Aleksandar Vuçiç, në rifillimin e dialogut midis dy vendeve drejt normalizimit të marrëdhënieve.

“Për ne njohja reciproke është i vetmi qëllim i dialogut me Serbinë, normalisht edhe normalizimi i marrëdhënieve në mes të dy vendeve që duhet të jetë derivat i njohjes reciproke”, ka deklaruar kryeministri i Kosovës, Hoti në një konferencë shtypi këtë javë në Prishtinë.

FJALIMI ORIGJINAL i  Kryeministrit të Republikës së Kosovës, Avdullah Hoti mbajtur në konferencën virtuale të Samitit të Parisit:

The Paris Summit

10 July 2020

(via video conference)

Honorable President Macron,

HonorableChancellor Merkel,

Honorable High Representative Borrel,

Dear EU Special Representative Lajcak,

Honorable President Vucic of Serbia,


It is with utmost pleasure that I havereceived the invitation to participate at this distinguishedsummit, which showsthe commitmentof the European Union,and your countries respectively, to supportthe Western Balkans countries heading towards European integration.

This integration can only be achieved through promotingdemocracy, strengthening of rule of lawand establishing a lasting peace and good neighborly relations between our countries at all fronts.

Please let me underline that the Republic of Kosovo remains firmly committed to strengthening its democratic institutions and ensuring its EU integration path.

The support for, and preservation of independence of law enforcement institutions, is at the forefront of my government’s commitment. The assistance and advice from the EU and EULEX to our institutionsis widely appreciated.

We are committed to maintain good records of criteria that are important to have full trust of the EU countries toward our commitment to advance the rule of law. It is in this line that we kindly ask to consider our request for visa liberalization. We will work hard to advance our country’s EU integration status to the potential candidate country.

Kosovo, along other countries in the region, has been hardly hit by covid-19. Let me thank you for the support you have given to the people of Kosovo to cope with this emergency situation through the EU institutions, as well as directly through your governments.

We are doing all we can to contain the spread of the virus, as well as to support the economy through a comprehensive list of economic recovery measures.

In this respect, we welcome the initiative of the EU to support the Western Balkan countries through joint large-scale projects, that help overcome the economic crisis and ensure better and closer economic links between the countries in this region.

Mr.President, Madame Chancellor, Mr. Borell,

In line with my country’s firm commitment to regional peace and good neighborly relations through regional cooperation, we, today have excellent relations and close cooperation with our first neighbors, North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro in all areas of mutual interest, including free movement of people and goods, and in a wide range of regional partnerships.

To Kosovo, the neighboring relations with Serbia continue to remain a matter of grave concern.

We have started the dialogue process back in 2011m mediated by the Brussels. We have reached a number of agreements. Those that have been implemented have improved people’s lives in both countries.

Since the start of the dialogue in 2011,Serbia has continued to undertake campaigns against Kosovo’s membership in international organizations and lobbying against the recognition of the Republic of Kosovo by other states.Theseharmful practices damaged the process of normalization of our relations as two independent countries.

During the course of the dialogue, Serbia did not show genuine intentions to normalization of relations between the two countries. Onthe contrary, it has prolonged the process to“buy time” and to continue its campaigns against Kosovo’s sovereignty.

Such practices pursued by Serbia has led to a responsive action by Kosovo, as it was the case with the previous Government’s decision to impose a 100% tariff on Serbian goods.

However, we remain committed to a peaceful process of normalization of our relations, which can be achieved only if Kosovo and Serbia respecteach other’s statehood.

From the very outset, the newly elected Government of Kosovo has shown a genuine goodwill by dropping all tariff barriers on goods from Serbia,primarily to give dialogue a chance and reach a final binding agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, which should end up in mutual formal recognition between the two countries.

We believe that the dialogue has no alternative. We are ready and committed to engage on the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue on an equal footing.

But, we firmly believe that the dialogue has to follow a clear timeline and framework of fundamental values and principles to be respected, in line with the European perspectiveof both countries.

We maintain that the very success of this crucial process should be guided by the following principles:

  1. The territorial integrity of the Republic of Kosovo is non-negotiable, as it is the main premise on which the Republic of Kosovo is founded and stands firmly. Any violation of this principle goes against basic EU principles and values. As such it is unacceptable.
  • The constitutional organization of the Republic of Kosovo cannot be affected, since it guarantees democratic functioning of the authorities, equality in representation and enshrines the principle of civic state, and not organized along ethnic lines.Therefore, the interference in the unitary character of the Republic of Kosovo would be the shortest way to de-functionalize the state of Kosovo and proclaim it unstable. This cannot happen.
  • The agreement with Serbia must be fully in accordance with the Kosovo Constitution, as it is the only modality to give legitimacy to such an agreement.

Objectives

Based on these principles, Kosovo will engage in the dialogue with clear objectives, based on whichthe Agreement must be reached:

  1. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Serbia should result in mutual recognition. Without such a conclusion of this process the Agreement cannot succeed. Mutual recognition between the two countries is the only way to normalize relations and pave the way for both countries for EU integration.
  • The outcome of this agreement should also be the EU obligation to encompass the recognition of Kosovo by five remaining EU countries.
  • Kosovo’s membership in the UN should also be part of the outcomeof the comprehensive peace agreement between Kosovo and Serbia.This naturally implies the substitution of the UN Security Resolution 1244.
  • Pursuing membership in other international organizations and emerging clear opening of the European perspective for Kosovo is our objective and our appeal alongside this process.
  • And last but not least, missing persons and victims of all forms of violence, war damages, casualties, areissues of our utmost concern in this process. No normalization can take place prior toputtingjustice in place.

Based on these principles and objectives, the Republic of Kosovo is ready to be a constructive and cooperative partner in the dialoguein reaching a comprehensive and legally binding Agreement.

Thank you for your attention.