President Thaçi receives US Senators and Congressmen delegation
(KTV)
President of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi received on Sunday a delegation of US Senators and Congressmen, led by Senator Jim Inhofe.
A press release issued by his Office reads that President Thaçi thanked the delegation of the US Senators and Congressmen for their contribution to Kosovo’s freedom and independence.
“Your visit, right on the 11th anniversary of the Independence, is the best proof of our sacred relations, between Kosovo and the USA”, said President Thaçi.
On the other hand, Republican Senator Jim Inhofe congratulated President Thaçi and the people of Kosovo on the 11th anniversary of the Independence.
“I am honoured to lead the delegation of the US Congress to Kosovo. Kosovo is an important partner to the United States and to NATO, as we are working together in prevention of the increase of the Russian aggression in the region”, said Senator Inhofe.
President Thaçi added that on its journey, Kosovo has enjoyed the unreserved support of the United States of America.
Kosovo is the most reliable ally of America, Haradinaj says
(KTV)
The Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said that Kosovo is the most reliable ally of the United States.
On Sunday, he met a delegation of US senators and congressmen, headed by Senator James Inhofe, and accompanied by the US Ambassador to Kosovo Philip Kosnett.
“America is Kosovo’s most important relation. We are positioned forever beside America, and we are its most reliable ally,” Haradinaj stated.
The Government’s statement quotes Haradinaj to have thanked the US for the support in all the processes that Kosovo is going through, particularly now at this crucial stage of concluding important issues for the country.
With regard to the Dialogue, Haradinaj said that Kosovo is committed to good neighbourhood, stable partnership with the ally countries, and friendship with the US.
“It is on those values that our state has been built, and we will remain on those values forever,” Haradinaj said, asking for further US support.
On the other hand, Inhofe said he was honoured to have headed the US delegation in Kosovo.
“Kosovo is an important partner of the United States, and our support will continue,” Inhofe said.
Russian aggression and returning ISIS fighters remain Kosovo’s top challenges, prime minister says
(CNBC)
As Kosovo pursues NATO and EU membership and a peace deal with neighbor Serbia, its top challenges stem from Russian aggression and the return of Islamic State fighters, its Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj told CNBC.
Kosovo had the most per capita citizens fighting in Syria of any European country; some 413 Kosovar citizens left to join IS and other extremist groups since 2014, according to a reports.
Kosovo declared independence in 2008, and is recognized by 110 countries, including the U.S. and excluding Serbia and its ally Russia. It has yet to become a UN member state.
As Kosovo pursues NATO and EU membership, its top challenges stem from Russian aggression and the return of ISIS fighters, its prime minister said during the Munich Security Conference Saturday.
Asked by CNBC about which one the country’s government saw as the greater threat, the prime minister replied, “For us it’s both.”
“What we call the Taliban or Islamists’ agenda, it was very aggressive toward us,” Ramush Haradinaj told CNBC’s Hadley Gamble.
Despite the focus on homegrown jihadists out of countries like France, Belgium and the U.K., Kosovo actually had the most citizens per capita fighting in Syria of any European country.
The officially secular majority-Muslim country has been under pressure to eradicate radicalization in the country as it endeavors to join the EU. As previously arrested extremists are released from prison, observers worry about the future of the country’s security.
“But as well, the Russians are very aggressive,” Haradinaj continued. “They base most of their activities from Serbia, they have 3,000 — they call it humanitarians in Serbia, most of them are actually members of security services, Russian security services. They are hostile toward us,” he said.
“But we have done our homework, we are not alone. We work in close partnership with U.S. and other allies, mainly NATO allies.”
While the prime minister did not elaborate on his claim about the Russian security forces in neighboring Serbia, Moscow has donated fighter jets to the Balkan country and refuses to recognize Kosovo’s legitimacy as a country.
The Kremlin is accused of deploying a number of tactics to deter populations in eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union from growing closer to the West, including what Western and many Eastern European officials describe as influence operations and information warfare.
Moscow denies any malign influence activities in Europe, accusing Western countries of “anti-Russia hysteria.”
Peace deal with Serbia and EU membership
Kosovo, the small country of 1.8 million, is currently pursuing a peace deal with neighbor Serbia, with whom it fought a bloody war for independence in 1998-99 that was only ended with a 78-day NATO bombing campaign over Serbia.
Kosovo declared independence in 2008, and is recognized by 110 countries, including the U.S. and excluding Serbia and its ally Russia. It has yet to become a UN member state.
A peace agreement is essential for potential NATO and EU membership for both Serbia and Kosovo, and the leadership of both countries have expressed their willingness to reach a deal.
“After 20 years of Kosovo war been ended, it’s finally time for a final agreement between us and Serbia,” Haradinaj said. “However an agreement isn’t just a new agreement, it’s mainly establishing relations between two nations — we are neighbors but we can live in good relations, so this is our hope.”
In Russia’s shadow?
Relations between Russia and Serbia are friendly, representing one of the few strong partnerships Moscow still has in Europe and particularly the Balkans, an area President Vladimir Putin sees as vital to maintaining Kremlin influence abroad.
Putin views NATO expansion as a threat and an affront to Russia. Serbia is currently pursuing EU but not NATO membership.
During a January visit by Putin to the Serbian capital Belgrade, the Russian leader lamented what he called Western aggression toward Russia and its push to expand NATO, saying that “The policy of the United States and some other Western nations aimed at asserting their dominant role remains a serious destabilizing factor here.”
Putin has similarly criticized the 2017 ascension of Montenegro to NATO, and no doubt disapproves of Macedonia’s recent steps toward membership after it ended a long-running dispute with neighbor Greece.
Serbia, for its part, has said it aims to move toward the EU while maintaining good relations with Russia.
Some 5,000 NATO troops remain in Kosovo, including about 600 Americans. Forces from the transatlantic alliance have been stationed in the country since 1999. Russia has often labeled this presence a violation of international law.
Kosovo’s gratitude toward the U.S. for its 1999 intervention is such that it built a 10-foot tall statue of former U.S. President Bill Clinton in its capital Pristina, and declared a national day of mourning for the late President George H.W. Bush on December 5 of last year, flying its flags at half mast.
Haradinaj and Veseli exacerbated at solemn session
(KTV)
More than ever before, the coalition partners Kadri Veseli and Ramush Haradinaj were seen angry with each other.
Prime Minister Haradinaj could not hold back his exacerbation when at the solemn session on independence anniversary, Veseli spoke about the issues shaking their cooperation within the coalition.
But Haradinaj, who was the first one to address the session, mentioned only the talks, but not the current issues concerning opposite views of the coalition partners with regard to the tariff.
“The Government is interested to reach an Agreement with Serbia on mutual recognition with the existing borders,” Haradinaj said.
When the speeches ended, Haradinaj did not say goodbye to the people present, and chose to leave the plenary room separately.
Haradinaj addressed some insults that probably were referred to Kadri Veseli, with whom he was seen to be angry throughout the session.
Vetëvendosje MPs joined the solemn session only after the anthem was played, while the session was attended by many guests, as well.
All monitored broadcasters extensively covered events marking eleventh anniversary of Kosovo’s independence declaration.
On its independence anniversary, Kosovo faces harsh debate about its territory
(KTV)
No-one could think that the very man who read the independence declaration, eleven years later would raise Kosovo borders’ issue as a matter of discussion.
Moreover, since July last year, border correction with Serbia prevailed in President Thaçi’s vocabulary.
A few days before eleventh anniversary of statehood, Thaçi mentioned northern Kosovo and southern Serbia as possibilities of a slight border correction, saying that if this is the price for a peace agreement, it should be accepted.
On the other hand, all parliamentary parties have opposed his idea, including his former party, PDK.
Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj has strongly opposed the idea, saying that it could cause a new tragedy and war in the Balkans.
Two opposition parties, LDK and Vetëvendosje, say that state borders are being threatened by President of the country.
Opposition parties claim that President Thaçi has no Constitutional mandate to talk about territory exchange.
Jevtic: Kosovo citizens have nothing to celebrate for
(KTV)
Kosovo’s resigning Minister for Communities and Return and vice chairman of Srpska Lista Dalibor Jevtic said that Kosovo Albanians, instead of celebrating, should look into what was resolved in the past years, and what has remained to be resolved.
He stated to RTS that due to the bad economic situation, the situation with perhaps the worst relations ever between Kosovo leaders and the US and EU, and due to the mistrust in the Kosovo institutions, Kosovo citizens have nothing to celebrate for.
According to him, situation in the international arena is in favour of Serbia more than before, and this situation should be used for resolving the problems with Kosovo.
“The Dialogue Platform and the decision on tariff speaks that leaders in Kosovo want to buy time,” Jevtic concluded, blaming Kosovo leaders of not being willing for compromise.
