The Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj responded to Kosovo Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli with regards to the statements of the latter made on Tuesday during an interview on VoA.
Veseli said that the tariff on Serbian goods should be temporarily lifted and criticized Haradinaj for breaching relations with the EU and the U.S. by keeping the tariff in power.
Haradinaj said at a press conference today that it is not true that his approach to the U.S. is the same as with Serbia.
“I saw the interview, it was an unsustainable qualification, my approach with America is not the same as with Serbia. I seperated from Serbia initially in the war, I was with America, we have differences in many issues with Serbia, less with America. We differ on one matter, suspension of the tariff. If Mr. Veseli and the others were unified, America would have perhaps supported us more. But this will to speak differently is harming us as Kosovo and is leaving us where we are today.
Unfortunately, loyalty to the fatherland, on issues of national interest should not be calculated. Populism or friendship from Veseli and the others should have been shown at other momentums, it was seen that we are not much concerned about the approach towards America, that we spoke with another language, you know about which issue I am talking,” Haradinaj said.
“On the other hand, when issues of national interest are in question, to ask from Kosovo to lift the tariff, so to give the market to the state that denies our existence, this is unfair and cannot be explained in any way, you cannot explain it, it is not in America’s or anyone’s logic, but it is the misfortune of our leaders who go there and say that a solution should be found, instead of saying that our Prime Minister is right. It is obvious that it has been very difficult for me to keep this political direction due to these very clashes. This then encourages Serbia more and they do not give in as long as half of us say we will lift the tariff. Why should they come at the dialogue?’ he asked.
“The battle is not lost but arguments are being discredited, you do not give the market to someone who does not recognize you as a state,”
“Listen, I have not met Veseli for some time, he is now in America, we meet time after time, but I think that his approach is very wrong, both Veseli’s and Thaci’s, because Serbia sets conditions to come to the dialogue. These people led the country up to date. I do not accept Serbia’s setting conditions to me in order to sit at the dialogue, and at the same time, I do not give the market to someone that rejects me,” Haradinaj said. He also spoke about his relations with Veseli. “We have a relation of work agreements; it was confirmed also with Veseli’s statement that we differ. It has not been only one occasion but several, this is not right, we weaken ourselves in this manner, but not the coalition, the coalition continues. The most important issue is if this is Kosovo’s interest in relation to the other parties,” Haradinaj concluded.
