Dielli | The Sun

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

“PUT KOSOVO ON APPLE MAPS” PETITION

by

“PUT KOSOVO ON APPLE MAPS” PETITION
By Rafaela Prifti
A petition demanding Apple Maps to separate the borders of Kosova from Serbia has been posted online since Friday. In addition to no border markings, there is no reference of Kosova on the application. Since the circulation of the petition began, it has collected tens of thousands of signatures. Under the title “Put Kosovo on Apple Maps”, the complaint reveals that Kosova’s international borders are not marked on the application and, its map shows the independent country of Kosova to be part of Serbia. Apple Maps is a web mapping service developed by the company and released seven years ago. The template of the petition states that Apple Maps makes no reference to the country of Kosova. Pointing at the facts, the complaint points out the historic facts such as Kosova’s official declaration of independence in 2008, and the US being one of the first countries to recognize Kosova. On Sunday Albanian pop star Dua Lipa shared a post on Instagram listing reasons “Why Kosovo is not and never will be Serbia”. The purpose of the petition is to ask Apple to make the correction and add Kosova to its list of countries.
Dielli has contacted the company for comment. At the time of the posting, no response was received.
———————————————————
You may lodge a formal complaint or use the following link and the template message below: Apple Complaint URL
“Dear whom it may concern,
I’d like to inform you of a recent experience I encountered when using Apple Maps. When searching for the country of Kosovo, I was surprised and upset to find that there was no reference of it at all, which is highly offensive and factually incorrect as the Republic of Kosovo officially declared independence in 2008. Furthermore, the omission of Kosovo from the application was a surprise seeing as only recently was an announcement made to include Kosovo as an App Store region. In addition, my disappointment was fueled further seeing that Apple was founded in the USA, especially as the USA was one of the first countries to recognize Kosovo as an independent country, and the fact that the two countries still to this day have great relations.
My request is that you make the necessary changes to your application and add Kosovo to your list of countries so that you do not continue to offend an entire population.
I look forward to hearing from you.”

IS OUTDOOR LEARNING A FEASEABLE OPTION AMID THE PANDEMIC?

by

By Rafaela Prifti-

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will not release the guidelines on how to reopen to students after coronavirus shutdowns. A spokesperson said that the full set will be published before the end of July. President Trump has repeated that he wants to see schools reopen classrooms in the fall. But he complained on Twitter about the CDC’s guidance of preventive measures in schools for being ‘too tough”. The school systems nationwide are grappling with whether and how to open this fall amid the public-health crisis.

In New York, the nation’s largest school system, Governor Andrew Cuomo has laid out “the formula to be used to reopen schools across the state”. The requirements, based on data, are: the region must be in Phase 4 and the daily infection rate must remain below 5% using a 14-day average for schools to reopen. Schools will be closed if the infection level rises to 9% or greater before the day school opens. Governor Cuomo put the emphasis on safely reopening schools following state guidelines such as face masks, social distancing, regular cleaning of classrooms, COVID-19 screenings and contact tracing. Decisions on school reopening will be made in the first week of August. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza have announced a plan of Blended Learning for the city’s 1.1 million school children. Across the state and around the country, a number of schools have developed and devised structures such as open tents for in-person classroom teaching. There have been reports of lowered risks of contracting the coronavirus outside. As the city has done for restaurants and fast-food industry, it could cordon off streets and sidewalks for schools.

Curiously, outdoor classes were the solution during the pandemic more than a century ago when tuberculosis was a global pandemic. In 1907, two Rhode Island doctors, Mary Packard and Ellen Stone, followed the models in Germany to lower the risk of infection transmission among children. Doctors Packard and Stone implemented the concept by converting a brick building into a public health conscious structure. They proposed the creation of an open-air schoolroom by installing large windows on each side and keeping them open all day. In the harsh winter season children stayed warm in wearable blankets called “Eskimo sitting bags”. Images from Library of Congress show the children with heated soapstone placed at their feet. There were no reported cases of sick students. Within two years 65 open-air schools around the country either set up along the lines of the Providence model of Rhode Island or were held outside. In New York, the classes at private school Horace Mann were taught on the roof.

There is growing body of evidence suggesting ways that outdoor leaning benefits students, younger ones in particular. Some have talked about using vacant office or retail space for schools. Some public school teachers have proposed that all kindergarten, first- and second-grade classes could be held outside, with the natural environment deployed as a resource for math and science lessons. Alternatively, there are plans that schools could use as much accessible outdoor space as possible to reduce the number of students in a building at any given time, thus allowing for proper social distancing. Instead of rotating between live school and remote learning, children could rotate between indoor and outdoor work during the course of the day. Media reports that while inequity has meant that schools in more affluent neighborhoods are situated closer to parks than those in poorer parts of the city, infrastructure for outdoor learning is already in place, even in many low-income neighborhoods. Between 2007 and 2013, in conjunction with the Trust for Public Land, the city converted more than 250 schoolyards to green space for student and community use. Although a promising idea, transitioning to the outdoor learning comes with new challenges from liability claims to curriculum requirements.

A SUPERHEATED AIR FILTER DESIGNED BY UNIVERSITIY OF HOUSTON CAN DESTROY CORONAVIRUS

by

By Rafaela Prifti /
A University of Houston team has designed a new air filter that they say can kill COVID-19 instantly. The findings of the tests were published in a research paper published in Materials Today Physics. Conducted at the Galveston National Laboratory, the tests show that 99.8 % of the virus was killed in a single pass through the air filter. The filter, described in detail in the paper, is made from commercially available nickel foam heated to 200 degrees Centigrade. Director of the Texas Center for Superconductivity at University of Houston, Zhifeng Ren, collaborated with Monzer Hourani, CEO of Medistar, a Houston-based medical real estate development firm, and other researchers to develop the filter. The release by the University of Houston states that the filter could be useful for killing COVID-19 in public places.
The virus cannot survive temperatures above 70 degrees Centigrade, about 158 degrees Fahrenheit, so the researchers used a heated filter by setting the temperature to 200 degrees Centigrade. The electrically heated filter minimized the amount of heat that escaped from the filter, allowing air conditioning to function with minimal strain. The indoor air protection technology provides protection and prevention against transmission of airborne SARS-CoV-2 and will be on the forefront of technologies available to combat the current pandemic and any future airborne bio-threats in indoor environments, say the researchers.
In high-risk states such as Florida, Texas and Arizona, efforts are being made to provide the filters “in the next 60 days.” The team has called for a phased roll-out of the device, “beginning with high-priority venues, where essential workers are at elevated risk of exposure -particularly schools, hospitals and health care facilities, as well as public transit environs such as airplanes.” Medistar Executives are proposing a desk-top model, capable of purifying the air in an office worker’s immediate surroundings. Director Ren said a prototype satisfied the requirements for conventional heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Since the recent announcement indicating the virus airborne features, there was an added urgency to control the spread of the virus in air-conditioned spaces such as office buildings, schools, homes etc. According to the report, HVAC systems can be retrofitted with the filters and the filters can clean the air up to 12 times per hour. Adding that it will get very hot, yet it should not be a fire hazard since it’s contained in a frame that can withstand up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
By way of warning, the report states that the filter isn’t a fix-all. Wearing masks and practicing social distancing are still effective in combating the virus.

BISEDE ME Z. MARTIN VULAJ, ISH-DREJTOR I KKSHA

by

Vulaj: Europa e ka manifestuar tendencën pro serbe si në të kaluarën ashtu edhe në të tashmen. Tërheqja e amerikanëve nga njëra anë dhe arsyetimi me aktakuzat ndaj UÇK-së në anën tjetër, mund t’i shërbejnë europianëve si mbulesë për t’i mundësuar Serbisë hyrjen drejt Evropës…

Nga Rafaela Prifti/

-Shkrimin tuaj të publikuar para pak kohe me titull “Rreziqet Përpara”, ju e hapni me fjalët: Kosovës po i kanoset një ciklon i vërtetë politik. A mund ta përshkruani këtë ciklon si e shikoni ju? A e kemi përjetuar diçka të tillë më parë në historinë tonë?

-Kushtet e këtij cikloni konsistojnë në tërheqjen e Shteteve të Bashkuara të
acaruara nga mbarëvajtja e procesit dhe rrëshqitjen e Kosovës në duart e një Europe tradicionalisht pro serbe, këto të dyja të kombinuara me ngritjen e aktakuzave ndaj UÇK-së çka iu dhuron europianëve edhe një mbulesë morale.
Europa e ka manifestuar tendencën pro serbe si në të kaluarën ashtu edhe në të tashmen. Tërheqja e amerikanëve nga njëra anë dhe arsyetimi me aktakuzat ndaj UÇK-së në anën tjetër, mund t’i shërbejnë europianëve si mbulesë për t’i mundësuar Serbisë hyrjen drejt Evropës dhe njëherit shansin për t’u arsyetuar përse po i pengojnë shqiptarët të ecin përpara. Në këtë rast ata e lënë Kosovën në një geto politike dhe i përdorin shqiptarët për të amortizuar influencën e Turqisë në Evropë. Unë nuk pretendoj se kjo do të ngjasë por në këto momente, shqiptarët duhet të jenë të vetëdijshëm dhe të përqiqen ta parandalojnë këtë variant që është realisht krejt i mundshëm. Për sa i takon rasteve të ngjashme në histori, mund të
përmend konferencën e Berlinit kur Serbia, Mali i Zi dhe Greqia ngritën
pretendime territoriale ndaj Shqipërisë, dhe pa pjesëmarrje të njëmendtë nga pala shqiptare, gjysma e trojeve u copëtuan. Sot aktakuzat kundër UÇK-së dhe luftërat e brendshme politike midis shqiptarëve e kanë dobësuar procesin negociator nga niveli ku duhej të ishte dhe kanë amplifikuar mundësinë që fati i Kosovës të vendoset nga Fuqitë e Mëdha pa pjesëmarrjen e plotë të shqiptarëve.

-Duke dhënë përshkrimin e ciklonit apo shtrëngatës, a keni synuar të jepni një sinjal alarmi të cilin nuk e kanë ndjerë sa duhet politikanët, apo diaspora? Apo të dyja këto bashkë?

– Po!  Kemi arritur në një pikë kritike, ku duhet të sigurojmë pjesëmarrjen e
vazhdueshme të Shteteve të Bashkuara si edhe hartimin e një strategjie të
njësuar kombëtare. Përndyshe rrezikojmë që çështja e Kosovës të lihet pas dore pafundësisht në rastin më të mirë ose të ketë pasoja të padëshirueshme në rastin më të keq.

-Pak ditë përpara takimit midis Ambasadorit Grenell dhe disa përfaqësuesve të komunitetit në fund të muajit qershor, ju ripublikuat një artikull shkruar nga ju për rolin e diasporës, i botuar për herë të parë në 2013. Aty shtuat një koment se duhet të jesh pjesëtar në proces që të arrish të ndikosh mbi procesin. Kur unë ju pyeta nëse diaspora duhet të jetë pjesëtare në bisedimet që do të mbaheshin në Uashington në fund të qershorit, ju thatë se “deri tani nuk ka luajtur rol konstruktiv.” A jeni i këtij mendimi sot?
 
– Diaspora ka dhënë kontribut gjatë gjithë historisë por tradicionalisht ka mbajtur qëndrim konservativ ose ekstrem. Kështu ndodhi edhe para pak kohe me kritikën e ashpër ndaj procesit negociator dhe administratës. Shumë individë janë pozicionuar madje pa pasur asnjë komunikim me administratën dhe pa pasur njohuri për vetë procesin. Nuk mendoj se kjo ka sjell dobi. Megjithatë, dëshiroj që diaspora të jetë pjesëtare në proces qoftë edhe për ta kuptuar më mirë realitetin e procesit dhe prej andej t’ia transmetoj këtë mbarë diasporës sonë. Për këtë, diaspora do duhej të informohet më mirë dhe ta vendosë pozicionin e vet nisur nga ky informacion dhe jo nga paniku dhe manipulimet.

-A ka pasur reagime për shkrimin tuaj? Çfarë ju kanë thënë politikanët, aktivitstët e bashkësisë?  
– Reagimet kanë qenë pozitive dhe këndvështrimi im i paraqitur aty është
vlerësuar. Kam biseduar me disa politikanë jashtë për ta përforcuar pikën
kryesore. Koncepti ka fituar përkrahje por druaj se interesat partiake do
vazhdojnë të dominojnë mbi ato kombëtare.
-Qeveria e Kosovës krijoi Këshillin e Ekspertëve muajin e kaluar për të cilin
kriktikët thonë se është një shtesë tjetër burokratike. A e shihni se mund të
angazhohet në proces? Për bisedimet Kosovë Serbi, një nga rekomandime tuaja është krijimi i një Ekipi Unik Negociator? Si do të dukej ky ekip?

– Këshilli i Ekspertëve kryen funksione konsultuese dhe u krijua nga zyra e
Kryeministrit për t’i dhënë mundësi të përftojë nga përvoja dhe ekspertiza në fusha të ndryshme. Ky organizëm nuk ka kompetenca vendim-marrje. Unë sugjerova krijimin e një ekipi negociator që përfaqëson partitë e mëdha shqiptare në parlament, dhe ku secili përfaqësues është pjesëmarrës në vendim- marrje. Krijimi i këtij organizmi sjell stabilitet politik pa zgjerim të qeverisë.
Në këtë moment maxhoranca qeveritare (61 nga 120 vota) është e brishtë dhe delikate ndaj presioneve. Pjesëmarrja e partive politike në ekipin negociator efektvisht e zgjeron qeverinë duke shangur makinacionet politike për ta rrëzuar atë, dekretimin e VV si fituese e zgjedhjeve të fundit për të krijuar qeverinë e re, pritjen për tu përmbushur afatin kohor sipas Kushtetutës dhe kalimi i kompetencave tek partia tjetër për të krijuar qeverinë. Shumë humbje kohe kur nuk kemi kohë për të humbur, Përfshirja e opozitës me të drejtë vendim-marrje në ekipin negociator krijon stabilitetin e nevojshëm politik për të çuar përpara dhe njëherit rrit besimin dhe kredibilitetin e procesit në sytë e popullit.

-Ambasadori amerikan Frank Wisner, ish emisari i bisedimeve për statusin e Kosovës, e ka cilësuar situatën e krijuar si krizë politike dhe kushtetuese? Cili është komenti juaj?

– Mendoj se është krizë politike dhe jo konstitucionale. Deklarata shokuese
nga ana e Prokurorit Special praktikisht e ka lënë anash Presidentin dhe më së paku është bërë pengesë për bisedimet. Megjithëse nuk janë paraqitur formalisht aktakuzat, nuk ka shumë gjasa që bashkësia ndërkombëtare të ulet në bisedime me Presidentin derisa çështja të qartësohet dhe ndërsa maxhoranca e qeverisë është shumë e pakët. E gjitha kjo krijon paqëndrueshmëri politike që duhet të tejkalohet për t’i hapur rrugën Kosovës të ecë përpara. Gjithsesi, nuk është krizë kushtetuese.

-Ambasadorët amerikanë Frank Wisner and Nicholas Burns kanë shprehur
kundërshti për sa i takon mbajtjes së bisedimeve në Shtetet e Bashkuara duke argumentuar se kjo e thellon ndarjen midis Europës dhe Amerikës. Si mendoni ju?

– Z. Wisner and z. Burns janë diplomatë me shumë përvojë dhe besoj se e shikojnë këtë çështje nga një këndvështrim tradicional diplomatik. Faktet kane tregua” se midis Evropës dhe Amerikës ekziston ndarje e thellë për procesin e paqes në Kosovë. Shpallja e Prokurorit Special (i cili e pranoi se synonte të ndikonte tek bisedimet) mund të shihet si manifestim i dallimeve mes tyre. E vërteta është se Evropa e ka pasur në dorë këtë çështje qysh nga mbarimi i luftës në 1999.
Pas 8 viteve pa rezultat, ishte Amerika që doli përpara dhe e shpalli Kosovën të pavarur. Përsëri Evropa kryesonte në procesin e “dialogut” që nga viti 2011 pa hapa të dukshme përparimi. Edhe pasi Kosova i përmbushi të gjitha kushtet për liberalizimin e vizave, Evropa nuk e mbajti fjalën as për atë. Në mënyrë konsistente Evropa është treguar e pazonja kur vjen fjala te zgjidhja e çështjes së Kosovës dhe për ta mundësuar atë të ecë përpara drejt të ardhmes evropiane, Prandaj, pa pasur Amerika vendin drejtues ky proces nuk shkon askund.

-Z. Harry Bajraktari ka bërë thirrje për ta shpërndarë Gjykatën Speciale të Kosovës duke e quajtur humje kohe, burimesh dhe për ndërhyrje në procesin politik? Ç’mendim keni ju?
 
– Harry Bajraktari është aktivist, protagonist dhe investues në Kosovë. Ai
është një nga njerëzit më të rëndësishëm të bashkësisë sonë për çështjen e
Kosovës dhe shumë të tjera. Thirrja e tij është shfaqje e acarimit me
mënyrën sesi e ka trajtuar bashkësia ndërkombëtare çështjen e Kosovës dhe reflektim i padrejtësisë së papranueshme me të cilën shihet dhe trajtohet Kosova. Mendo për një moment se kur të paraqiten aktakuzat nga Gjykata Speciale, numri i kosovarëve të akuzuar për krime lufte është shumë më i madh sesa i serbëve. Kjo është e paimagjinueshme dhe e paarsyetueshme!
Shqiptarët duhet të bëhen bashkë dhe të hartojnë një strategji kombëtare për këtë situatë dhe për të dalë prej saj. Evropa gjthmonë i ka favorizuar serbët ndërsa i ka parë shqiptarët me skepticizëm. Ne mund të gjendemi në një situatë ku europianët e kanë gjetur justifikimin për tu dhënë dorën serbëve dhe shqiptarët t’i lënë në një geto politike për t’i pasur si mburojë ndaj influences së Turqisë në Evropë. Prandaj mendoj se shqiptarët duhet t’i mbajnë parasysh të gjitha variantet e mundshme por mos të nguten.
Shqiptarët duhet t’i kuptojnë mirë pasojat që mund të sjellë çdo hap që hedhin përpara se të marrin një vendim dhe mbi të gjitha, të mos e rrezikojnë marrëdhënien me Amerikën. Nëse ka një rrugëzgjidhje, ajo kalon nga Uashingtoni.

-Përfaqësuesit e Prishtinës dhe Beogradit do mbajnë takim të kryesuar nga Presidenti i Francës Emmanuel Macron dhe Kancelarja gjermane Angela Merkel. Ambasadori Grenell ka publikuar këtë deklaratë: Jemi të kënaqur që Evropianët do organizojne takim me 10 korrik per bisedime te metejshme me Kosoven dhe Serbine. Çfare prisni ju nga takimi zoti Vulaj?

– Fakti qe takimi po mbahet ne nivelin e Makronit dhe Markel eshte diçka pozitive por historia e Evropes me Kosoven me ben te ndihem skeptik. Besoj se per te rikthyer besimin tek procesi dhe per te arritur sukses, duhen realizuar kater pika:

1. Miratimi i liberalizimit te vizave. Çeshtja e vizave nuk eshte e lidhur me dialogun por do jepte nje sinjal te qarte se Evropa ka marre drejtim serioz dhe te koordinuar.

2. Nderrimi i synimit te dialogut nga “normalizimi i marredhenieve” ne “njohje dypaleshe”. Kjo do harmonizonte pozitat e Evropes dhe Amerikes ashtu si paraqitet ne dy letrat e Presidentit Trump drejtuar presidenteve te Kosoves dhe Serbise. Me kete sigurohet edhe mundesia qe Kosova te arrije shtetesine e vet dhe te mund te integrohet ne NATO dhe OKB dhe eventualisht ne BE. Me formatin e tanishem kjo nuk eshte e qarte. Ne fakt, ka mundesi qe formati aktual te mundesoje Serbine qe te plotesoje artikullin 35 te kerkesave te BE dhe t’i jape dore Serbise te ece perpara dhe potencialisht te lere Kosoven aty ku eshte sot.

3. Evropa duhet të kerkoje nga 5 vendet anetare te BE-se qe nuk e njohin Kosoven qe t’i japin siguri se ato do ta njohin ose, se, te pakten, do te abstenojne nga procesi, qe te mos te behen pengese siç kane qene deri me sot edhe per çeshtjen e vizave.

4. BE duhet te jape nje program per bisedimet, ku paraqiten çfare pritet nga takimet ne momentin kur fillojne dhe te shmangen sorrollatjet e panumerta qe kane ndodhur me proceset e kaluara europiane.

Mendoj se te kater pikat jane shume te realizueshme dhe do te siguronin jo vetem besim tek procesi por edhe suksesin e tij. Pa u ndermarre keto veprime, kam ndjenjen se do hyjme edhe nje here ne rruge pa drejtim ku nuk ka as rezultate te qarta dhe as afate kohore. 

CONVERSATION SERIES WITH MARTIN VULAJ, FORMER DIRECTOR OF NAAC

by

By Rafaela Prifti

 “Albanians must come together and devise a national strategy,” says Martin Vulaj on Kosova-Serbia negotiations. “They need to consider all of the consequences of each action before making decisions and, above all, they must never threaten their relationship with the United States.”  At the end of our conversation, he suggests four items for the upcoming summit led by Europeans.

Dielli: Recently you wrote The Dangerous Road Ahead, which you open with these words: “Kosova is facing a perfect political storm on the immediate horizon.” Can you describe the political storm as you see it? Have we ever been “in a perfect storm” before? Is there a historical precedence to be considered? 

Mr. Vulaj -The storm that could line up perfectly consists of the U.S. walking away from the talks out of frustration and leaving Kosova back in the hands of a traditionally pro Serbian Europe combined with the KLA indictments providing a thin moral cover to Europe. Europe has demonstrated their pro Serb bias not only historically but also recently and, with the US out and KLA indictments as cover, my concern is that they could use this cover as an excuse to enable Serbia to move forward towards Europe while justifying why they are keeping the Albanians back.  They could leave Kosova in a political ghetto and use the Albanians as a buffer against Turkey’s influence in Europe. I am not saying that this is the likely outcome but this is now a clear possibility with which the Albanians must be aware and actively working to prevent.

In terms of historical precedents, the only one I could think of that is somewhat similar is the time of the Berlin conference when Serbia, Montenegro and Greece made claims on Albanian lands and, without meaningful Albanian participation, half of those lands were ceded to those claims.  The KLA indictments and the political infighting amongst Albanians make participation in the current processes less meaningful then it otherwise could be and increases the likelihood that Kosova’s fate will be decided by the great powers without full participation by the Albanians.

Dielli: By making a statement about a perfect political storm, do you wish to impress a sense of urgency that you feel is not being recognized by politicians, or by the diaspora? All of the above? 

Mr. Vulaj -Yes!  We are at a critical juncture.  We must ensure the continued participation of the United States and the Albanians must come up with a united national strategy or risk letting the Kosova issue endlessly drift without resolution at best or an unfavorable outcome at worst.

Dielli: Prior to organizing the Zoom meeting of Ambassador Grenell with community representative at the end of June, you reposted an article on the role of the diaspora from 2013 along with the comment about being or taking part in the process to influence the process. I asked you if diaspora should sit at the talks and you said that it has not been constructive so far. What are your thoughts today? 

Mr. Vulaj – The diaspora has consistently been helpful throughout history but, traditionally, they always take a more conservative or extreme position.  That has been the case recently as well with the heavy criticism of the process and the Administration.  Many have taken these positions without any interaction with the Administration and without actually knowing much about the process.  I don’t think this has been helpful.

However, I would like to see the diaspora as part of the process if only so we could better understand the realities of the process and so this reality can then be communicated to the greater diaspora.  In this manner, the diaspora could be better informed and form positions based on information rather than fears and manipulations

Dielli: Any feedback on your Opinion piece? Have you heard from politicians, community activists?  

Mr. Vulaj: The feedback has been quite positive and my perspective has been valued.  I have had several conversations with politicians overseas to reinforce my message.  The concept has been supported but I am concerned that party interests will continue to dominate national ones.

Dielli: Last month, Kosova Government has put in place a Council of Experts. Some critics see it as an additional bureaucratic body. Would it be part of the process? With regards to negotiations of Kosova and Serbia, you suggested A Unity Team? How do you see it?

Mr. Vulaj – The Council of Experts is an advisory body that the PM has created to enable him to draw on the experience and know-how of experts from various fields.  They have no decision making capacity.

What I proposed is the creation of a negotiating team that represents all of the major Albanian parliamentary parties whereby each representative would fully take part in the decision making process.  By creating this organ, you create political stability without the need for the expansion of the government.  The government currently has a scant majority (61 out of 120 votes), is fragile and vulnerable to pressure.  With the full participation of the political parties in the Negotiating team you effectively expand the government without the need to go through the political machinations of bringing the current one down, decreeing VV (as winner of last elections) to create new government, waiting for their constitutionally allotted time to expire, and then moving on to the next party to create the government.  It is a lot of wasted time when we have little to spare.  The inclusion of the opposition in a decision making capacity, into the negotiating team creates the political stability required to go forward and brings more faith and credibility to the process from the people’s perspective.

Dielli: Ambassador Frank Wisner, former US envoy ofKosova peace talks, has characterized the present situation as a political and a constitutional crises? What is your comment?

Mr. Vulaj – I do think it is a political crisis but not a constitutional one.  The shocking announcement of the Special Prosecutor has effectively sidelined the President and, at the very least, disrupted the talks.  Although there is no formal indictment, it is unlikely that the international community will interact with the President until the matter is cleared up and the government has a very thin majority.  All of this creates political instability which must be overcome for Kosova to move forward.  However, there is no constitutional crisis.

Dielli: Ambassador Wisner and Ambassador Burns have stated their opposition with respect to holding the summit in the US. Their argument is that it would deepen the divide between Europe and US. What do you say to that?

Mr. Vulaj – Mr. Wisner and Mr. Burns are very experienced diplomats and, I believe, they are looking at this issue from a very traditional diplomatic viewpoint.  The fact is however that there already is great division between the US and Europe on the Kosova peace process.  In fact, the announcement of the Special Prosecutor (which by his admission was aimed at impacting these talks) may very well be a manifestation of that division.  The truth is that Europe has had this matter in their hands since the end of the War in 1999.  After 8 years of futility, it was the US who stepped forward and declared Kosova independent.  Europe again has had the “dialogue” process since 2011 with no signs of significant progress.  Even after Kosova fulfilled all of the necessary conditions for the liberation of visas, the EU could not even keep their promise to do even that.  Europe has consistently failed when it comes to resolving Kosova’s issues and enabling her to move forward into her European future.  Therefore, unless we have US leadership this simply will not happen.

Dielli: Mr. Harry Bajraktari has called for disbanding Kosova Special Court, on the grounds of it being “a waste of time, resources and interfering with the political process”. What are your thoughts? 

Mr, Vulaj -Harry Bajraktari has long been an activist, protagonist and investor in Kosova.  He is amongst the most important members of our community when it comes to the Kosova issue and more.  His call is a manifestation of frustration with how the international community has handled Kosova and a reflection of a fundamental unfairness with which Kosova is being viewed and treated.  Just think for a second that when these indictments come down by the Special Court, there will have been far more Kosovars indicted for war crimes than Serbs!   That is unthinkable and unjustifiable.

Albanians must come together and devise a national strategy for dealing with and emerging from this situation.  Europe has always viewed Serbia favorably and Albanians with great skepticism.  We could find ourselves where Europe has the excuse they need to enable Serbia to move forward and keep the Albanians in a political ghetto as a buffer against the influence of Turkey in Europe.  Therefore, I believe that the Albanians must look at all options that they have but they also must not be rash.  They need to consider all of the consequences of each action before making decisions and, this above all, they must never threaten their relationship with the United States.  If we have a way out, it is through Washington.

Dielli: Tomorrow the representatives of Prishtina and Belgrade will attend a summit led by France President Emmanuel Macron and Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel. Ambassador Grenell has issued the following statement: “We are pleased to see the Europeans will convene a meeting on July 10thfor further discussions with Kosovo and Serbia. We offer our total support and are grateful for their leadership”. What are your expectations if any Mr. Vulaj?

Mr. Vulaj – The fact that the process is being hosted at the level of Macron and Merkel is a positive sign but Europe’s history with the Kosova issue still leaves me skeptical.   I believe that in order to restore faith to the process and have a successful outcome, four things should be done:

1. Approve the liberalization of visas. The visa issue is not tied to the process but it would be a small clear sign that Europe is increasingly serious and increasingly coordinated.

2. Change the goal of the dialogue from “normalization of relations”to“mutual recognition”. This would harmonize the EU position with that of the United States as reflected in the two letters from President Trump to the presidents of Kosovo and Serbia. It would also ensure that Kosova would be able to complete her statehood and be enabled to be integrated into NATO and the UN and eventually the EU. Under the current format that isn’t necessarily the case. In fact, it is possible that the current format would enable Serbia to fulfill her chapter 35 requirements of the EU and enable Serbia to move forward while potentially leaving Kosovo where it currently is.

3. Europe most work with the 5EU members that do not recognize Kosovo to secure that recognition or, at the very least, abstain from the process so that they are not an impediment as they have been even with the visa issue

4. The EU should provide a roadmap for the talks. This would set expectations from the start and prevent the aimless drift that have defined past European processes.

I think that all four points above are very doable and would ensure both faith in the process and its success. In the absence of such action, I am concerned that once again we will enter into the aimless drift with no certain outcomes and no timeline