Delawie: Demarcation should pass, objections are fight for power (GazetaExpress)
The United States Ambassador to Kosovo, Greg Delawie, in an interview with the news site said that Kosovo Assembly should vote in favor of the agreement on border demarcation with Montenegro. According to him, the agreement as it was prepared by the commission on demarcation, says that the border is the same as in 1974 maps. “I think it is important for Kosovo to ratify this agreement. The agreement on border demarcation is not the most important issue here. In fact, there is a matter of power here. Therefore, whatever happens, if Kosovo Assembly ratifies this agreement or not, the challenges facing the Kosovar democracy will continue. You have a government that is elected by the people of Kosovo in 2014, a coalition that was established by the parties that were elected in the national elections in Kosovo held according to the Western standards in 2014. On the other hand, you have people who are opposing this agreement, who used tear gas, Molotov cocktails and threatened with violence and a political party that has threatened to kill political opponents because of this agreement. You have a group of people who have said they will do everything to stop this deal and they have demonstrated what ‘everything’ can be. I think that's a bad thing for Kosovo,” Delawie said.
While in regards to yesterday’s arrest of Vetëvendosje activists, Delawie said he cannot comment on these arrests but that political violence is a challenge for Kosovo. “I support democracy in Kosovo. I am against political violence and I hope that the vote tomorrow will pass without violence. Political violence threatens to turn Kosovo back in '90 and I am sure the absolute majority of Kosovars do not want this to happen,” he added.