The President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, said that establishment of Kosovo’s army is already a necessity. “I have undertaken the legal initiative for KSF being convinced that all the possibilities to create it through the Constitution were exhausted. This also came as a need being that Kosovo cannot be part of NATO without an army. The common denominator is that Kosovo institutions, parliamentary parties as well as the civil society and the citizens are for the army,” Thaci said at a debate organized by FOL Movement.

“I as its supreme Commander,  am for the army of Kosovo but I also want to keep the relations with allies. The good fact is that the allies have offered help to convince all the actors in this process,” he added.

Thaci stressed that representatives of Kosovo Serbs have already returned at the Assembly and he expressed hope that transformation of KSF into an army would happen with their involvement. “No one can use veto on establishment of the army of Kosovo,” he stressed.

He said that he does not intend to comment on the U.S. Ambassador, Greg Delawie’s or on anybody else’s statements. He however reiterated that Kosovo is late when creation of the army is concerned and added that his initiative is constitutional. “We will work maximally until the last day to convince everyone. We have a strategy; we will sit with Serbs and try to convince them because they are also citizens of Kosovo. We will work for constitutional changes but the law will remain in the agenda,” Thaci said.

Speaking about the results of the recent elections in Serbia, Thaci said “we will make maximal efforts for the new President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic not to impede Kosovo’s membership at international organizations,” He added that Serbia’s further steps after Vucic’s election will be followed. “It will be a battle even though I do not want it to be a battle. We will work for European integrity through dialogue and understanding,” Thaci said stressing the vital importance of implementation of Brussels agreements.

He further said that sooner or later, Kosovo will be removed from the Constitution of Serbia. He added that he believes on reconciliation of Kosovo and Serbia.