Kosovo President Hashim Thaci said in an interview the regional broadcaster N1 that Kosovo has successfully passed international monitoring of independence.
“EULEX was needed and it did a good job, just as NATO does a great job. But now, apart from having international organizations in Kosovo, Kosovo will be part of international organizations, including NATO and the EU,” Thaci said.
In an interview with N1, he said that 115 states recognized Kosovo, and that it is a member of about 200 international organizations, and that it is consolidated both internally and internationally. Asked how he looks at it that after 10 years, Kosovo is not a member of either UNESCO, either Interpol or the UN, Thaci said that “the construction of the state of Kosovo is not a race and not directed against Serbia”.
“Serbia is wrong when it claims to be dealing with Kosovo and it loses time with blocking Kosovo. My advice to friends in Belgrade is to focus on their affairs and not to deal with Kosovo, because it is only a waste of energy for them, because Kosovo’s independence is irreversible. I am aware of the challenges we have in terms of consolidating Kosovo’s international subjectivity, but at the same time I am convinced that Kosovo will be part of the UN, UNESCO, Interpol and all international mechanisms,” he said.
Concerning the fact that the N1 team in the center of Pristina saw a large Albanian flag on the mast and not the flag of Kosovo, Thaci said that ”the flag of Kosovo’s state is flying in Kosovo, as well as the Albanian flag, the flag of Serbia, of the Turks, Bosniaks, i.e. different ethnic groups”.
“But we recognize the distinction between state identity and national identity, within the framework of the building of civic democracy,” he added.
Thaci said Kosovo has welcomed the strategy presented by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on EU enlargement to the countries of the Western Balkans, including Kosovo, although it expected greater clarity.
“But there is time for this strategy to be amended and corrected, we must fulfil our obligations, we will soon vote out demarcation (with Montenegro) in the Assembly of Kosovo. Kosovo will have visa liberalization as well as a safe European path, “he added.
He said he hopes and believes that 2018 will be the year of a historic agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, as two independent and sovereign states.
“This agreement will lead to the full normalization of our relations, and at the same time, the reconciliation of our people. Peace between Kosovo and Serbia means peace for the Western Balkans. Peace is also a message for the Europeanization of the whole space in which we live. I hope this will be the agreement of European standards and models. The EU must now assume its active, dynamic and leadership role, with the support of the United States.”
Asked whether he expects Serbia to recognize Kosovo, he said that he first expects a secure European perspective to open to both countries.
Asked whether he expects Serbia to recognize Kosovo, he said that he first expects a secure European perspective to open to both countries.
“I expect that, at the end of this process, Kosovo will join the UN. If there is good will, if we show a high state and historical responsibility to be oriented towards the future, I expect that there will be mutual will for mutual recognition. But it depends on the two countries; it depends on the two capitals, because we cannot impose each other. Pristina is ready, but one thing is certain: neither Serbia nor Kosovo have a European future without a common understanding and without mutual recognition. Neither Serbia can be part of a European family without recognition of Kosovo. Therefore, as soon Serbia does it, the better for Serbia,” he added.
Thaci, on the ascertainment that no one asks Serbia to recognize Kosovo, said that it is important that this issue has already begun to be discussed and that Serbia will be required to recognize Kosovo.
“Serbia will not be allowed to join a European family without recognition of Kosovo, because the EU is not interested in creating another Cyprus in the European area. Also, the moment of the discussion about the demarcation between Kosovo and Serbia will quickly come, which in fact will be a form of recognition of independence. The question is: how will Serbia enter the EU, with which territory? With Kosovo as part of its territory? No, never. With what population? With the population of Kosovo as part of Serbia? Never,” he said.
“On the other hand, Kosovo does not need such an internal dialogue with regard to relations with Serbia because of the fact that its position is clear. Kosovo is a sovereign, independent state and is not burdened as Serbia with a false myth of Kosovo, therefore, for leadership and politics in Belgrade such a dialogue is obligatory in order to free the local citizens of this false myth about Kosovo that has been created and nurtured in Serbia in the last hundred years. And it must be said that this is a difficult job, it is not easy to start releasing the people of this myth about the past and turn them towards future,” he said.
He reiterated that Kosovo will establish an association of municipalities with majority Serbian population, because Kosovo has a constitutional and legal obligation to do so, but also an obligation of the agreement in Brussels.
“Even greater affirmation of Kosovo Serbs is in the interest of Kosovo. Kosovo is the homeland of all its citizens,” he added.
Thaci said that there was “good will” on the establishment of the Special Court for KLA crimes, although Kosovo saw it as a historical injustice.
“Because of the strategic cooperation with the United States, the EU and NATO, Kosovo has established this tribunal, but we have always appreciated this court as a historical injustice, because history cannot be rectified, but Kosovo was also a victim of genocide committed by Serbia and we resisted one dictator, Slobodan Milosevic. This court is like when after the Second World War a court would be established to condemn the Jews who fought against Nazism, “he said.
He pointed out that Kosovo was established by the Special Court and that this court will be functional, but that all crimes committed in Kosovo must be clarified.
He also assessed Kosovo as an example of cooperation with international judicial bodies, even more than Serbia, Croatia and BiH, both with The Hague Tribunal and with EULEX in Kosovo.
Asked whether it was not a reason for the establishment of that court to prosecute crimes that were not prosecuted, Thaci asked when Serbia would be punished, and added that the satisfaction of justice was necessary for all.
“Until now, we have zero justice in relation to the Albanians. On the other hand, some of the leaders of Serbia who led the war in Kosovo are bearers of the institution in Serbia. Perhaps some of the internationals can close their eyes to Serbia because they want to bring Serbia closer. We are working for truth and reconciliation but we will never forget. We will not get revenge but we will always remember massacres and we will never give up searching for truth and justice. There must be justice equal to all. I’m sorry for every victim, I know that not all people in the KLA uniforms were angels and I know that some of them may have violated the nobility of the liberation. But the satisfaction of justice is necessary for all, justice where everyone will be equal, whoever they are,” he said.
Thaci after all assessed that today’s image of Kosovo is different, that the circumstances are positive, that it has security, and has called on Serbs who have left Kosovo to return to their homes and properties.
“Kosovo is safe countries for all, they can return, integrate, build their lives here. There can be individual, isolated cases, which we have always condemned. Theft of, whether Albanians or Serbs, is the same as robbery. Seating the fire happens and to Albaninas and to Serbs… But these are not ethnically motivated incidents. In the last six years there have been no inter-ethnic incidents between Albanians and Serbs,” he said.
Asked about 40,000 unsolved property claims claimed by Serbs, Thaci replied that in cases of this nature “no need to seek political answers”.
“All this is regulated by the law and guaranteed by law. More work and effort is needed, especially in the Mitrovica court.” These cases are in the process of resolving, but it is about legal, not political issues,” he said.
The murder of Oliver Ivanovic, he said, was a criminal act for every conviction, but no interethnic incident happened, resulting from close co-operation with the Serbian authorities, as well as talks with President Vucic and “the messages they sent about wisdom and calmness”
Speaking about a train with motives of Serbian monasteries, and who has stopped it, Thaci said that it was an attempt to escalate the situation in Kosovo, where the highest price would have been paid by the Kosovo Serbs.
“The truth is: Belgrade sent a train, we have stopped it, then it returned to Belgrade, and if they had continued trying the train to enter Kosovo that would lead to the worst. This attempt was spurred by Serbian nationalism,” Thaci concluded.
Asked whether Kosovo would abolish visas for BiH, Thaci said that Kosovo must have good relations with BiH and that it is of mutual interest.
“They have to liberate themselves of the Republika Srpska influence. But the people of Kosovo have made a great contribution to Bosnia and Herzegovina. I urge Bosnia and Herzegovina to recognize Kosovo’s independence, which is also in their interest,” he said.
