Most online media cover an interview that Ramush Haradinaj, candidate for Prime Minister from the PDK-AAK-Nisma coalition, gave to Tirana-based Top Channel. Haradinaj said he was confident that Serb MPs from the last elections will not oppose the formation of Kosovo’s Armed Forces. “They are citizens of Kosovo and we respect their decisions. What is important is that Kosovo’s agenda will not be held hostage by anyone, including Belgrade. We will work with the communities, but we will not allow our country to be held hostage to an obstructive vote. Serbs are not against the army. Belgrade is adamant on this, but we don’t care what Belgrade thinks about this,” Haradinaj said. He added that the armed forces will be formed at the right time and in full coordination with Kosovo’s international partners. Haradinaj said the Constitutional Court’s ruling from 2014 on the formation of the government will be respected. “The government will be formed in line with the Constitution and we see no difficulties in this regard,” he said.
Asked about talks between Kosovo and Serbia, Haradinaj said the process would continue under one condition: the recognition of Kosovo’s independence by Belgrade. He further argued that the framework of talks so far was wrong because it focused on Kosovo’s internal arrangements. “I am in favour of dialogue with Serbia, but only with mutual recognition. We will not agree to discuss Kosovo’s internal arrangements. If Serbia does not reconsider its decision on recognizing Kosovo, we will not run after a dialogue that includes Kosovo’s internal arrangements. We are an independent country, we have our own Constitution. We want dialogue for mutual recognition and bipartite relations, but not on Kosovo’s internal affairs,” he added.
