Albanian Language Media:

• Borrell’s statement on anniversary of agreement on path to normalization, and the implementation annex (media)
• Blinken calls on Kosovo and Serbia to implement all agreements (media)
• Roth on new U.S. extra conditions for Kosovo at CoE: Unfair and unjust (media)
• Kurti’s message on 20th anniversary of March 17 riots (media)
• Government: Placing of signs in north in line with the constitution (Koha)
• Police arrest Serbian national for damaging traffic signs in Leposavic (media)
• COMKFOR: KFOR continues efforts to prevent any escalation (VoA in Albanian)
• Pacolli: Delays in meeting obligations lead to pressure and damage (media)
• Tahiri: Two important moments this week for CoE membership (media)
• Historians’ League wants Kurti to resign over Decani Monastery decision (media)
• CAA: U.S. must remain engaged in the Western Balkans (VoA in Albanian)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: We will change our approach to the Kosovo issue; Serbia will no longer be subjected to a fait accompli (Kosovo Online)
• Borrell: It is high time for Kosovo and Serbia to break current vicious cycle of crises and tensions (N1)
• 20th anniversary of the March pogrom (KoSSev)
• Diocese on who paid the restoration of holy sites destroyed in the March pogrom (KoSSev) 
• Kurti from Cabra: Children jumped into Ibar to avoid the escort of Serbian youths; unclear who then directed the demonstrators towards the Serbs (KoSSev)
• The SL: Self-Determination's brutal lies – a continuation of a dangerous policy of hatred towards the Serbs (Kosovo Online)
• Self-Determination ahead of March 17: 3 children were killed in Cabra, peaceful Albanian demonstrators were shot by Serbian criminals, justice was not served (KoSSev)
• First referendum then elections: Four municipalities in north of Kosovo still without mayors (N1)
• Blinken: We need to see both Kosovo and Serbia keep tensions low (KoSSev, N1)

 

 

 

Albanian Language Media

 

Borrell’s statement on anniversary of agreement on path to normalization and the implementation annex (media)

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, issued a statement on the anniversary of the agreement between Kosovo and Serbia on the path to normalization and its implementation annex.

Tomorrow marks the first anniversary of the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation that Kosovo and Serbia concluded in Ohrid, North Macedonia. The Agreement and its Implementation Annex were achieved after months of intense negotiations under the facilitation by the European Union to help the Parties to make a leap forward in the normalisation of their relations.

In times of an unprecedented full-scale war on our continent, reaching an agreement that promises peace, stability and good neighbourly relations, was a landmark achievement. For the first time during the EU-facilitated Dialogue, the Parties agreed on clear parameters defining the trajectory of the process to normalise their relations. This Agreement and its implementation will clearly demonstrate that both partners’ future is in the European Union.

It is regrettable that despite extensive efforts by the EU and the broader international community, there has been so far very limited progress by both Kosovo and Serbia in implementing the obligations they accepted under this Agreement. The EU recalled repeatedly that the Agreement is binding in its entirety under international law. Therefore, any lack of implementation does not only endanger the Parties’ European integration, it also damages their reputation as credible and reliable partners.

It is now high time for both Kosovo and Serbia to break the current vicious cycle of crises and tensions, and move into a new - European - era. The Agreement offers a better future for the citizens of Kosovo and Serbia and the entire region.

We expect the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia to show responsibility, vision and leadership by making progress in implementation with no further delay. It is an opportunity they should not miss. The European Union continues to stand ready to help Kosovo and Serbia in every step along the way, but they are the ones who have to take those steps and move forward.

Blinken calls on Kosovo and Serbia to implement all agreements (media)

U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, during his stay in Vienna, called on Kosovo and Serbia to implement all agreements reached in the EU-facilitated dialogue, and that the dialogue process which the U.S. supports, is the only way to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

At a joint press conference with his Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg, Blinken said that the people in the Western Balkans do not need to regress but to move forward and integrate into the European Union. “We are also working together [with Austria] to improve relations between Kosovo and Serbia. The EU-facilitated dialogue is the only implementable mechanism, the only way forward. We need to see efforts in trust-building and constructive efforts from both parties, from Kosovo and Serbia, to stabilize their relations and move towards this path. They should keep tensions low, increase coordination, enhance transparency with international partners, and implement all dialogue commitments,” Blinken said.

Roth on new U.S. extra conditions for Kosovo at CoE: Unfair and unjust (media)

Michael Roth, head of the German Bundestag’s Committee for Foreign Affairs, said that it is unfair and unjust that the United States are setting extra conditions for Kosovo to join the Council of Europe. “It’s completely incomprehensible that the U.S. sets extra conditions for Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe. This unbalanced approach by the US towards Kosovo must finally stop. It’s unfair and unjust. The Council of Europe and its member states sit in the driver’s seat - not the U.S.!” Roth wrote in a post on X.

Frank Schwabe, leader of the SOC group at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, said in a post on X that “with all due respect to the US Special Envoy to the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, the Council of Europe is making things possible that others could not achieve. And we will decide on Kosovo's application for membership based on our own rules and values.”

Kurti’s message on 20th anniversary of March 17 riots (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti posted on Facebook on the anniversary of the March 17 riots:

Today marks 20 years since the drowning of three children in Iber River in the village of Caber in Zubin Potok. Four Albanian children were chased by a group of youths from the Serb community. To escape the attack, they jumped into the Iber river, and only Fitim Veseli got out alive. This happened at a time and context full of uncertainties for the future of the country, after a war whose wounds and memories were very much alive and justice for the crimes, sufferings and damages experiences was nowhere to be seen.

The news about the drowning of Egzon Deliu (13), Avni Veseli (12) and Florent Veseli (9) spread like wildfire and echoed throughout the country. Street protests by the citizens were the immediate response. Without an organized call and without any organization about the course, they very quickly turned massive and engulfed all of Kosovo. And when a protest is spontaneous and without organization, for it to be peaceful and quiet every participant needs to be peaceful and quiet. And for it to be violent it suffices only a handful of protesters to be violent. And this is what happened. In fact, they were initially directed against UNMIK, and later, who directed them against Serb settlements and Orthodox churches and monasteries was never explained.

In Mitrovica, six citizens were killed: Fatmir Abdullahu, Ferid Citaku, Isak Ibrahimi, Ajvaz Shatrolli, Jana Tuce (North Macedonia) and Borivoje Spasojevic. In Lipjan, three people were killed: Nenad Vesic, Nevzat Rrahmani and Arben Shala. In Gjilan, one person was killed: Slobodan Peric. In Bellopoja, one person: Esat Tahiraj, from Novosella. In Dajkoc, two persons: Dobrivoje Stolic and Borko Stolic. In Cagllavica, three people: brothers Bujar and Kastriot Elshani from Drenas and an unidentified person. In Ferizaj, one person: Alimuhamet Murseli. (So, we don’t know the names of four out of 20 people that were killed, and if you think there are any inaccuracies in the existing names, please tell us).

Hundreds of people were wounded, including members of local and international police, hundreds of private properties and different buildings were destroyed or damaged, including dozens of cultural and religious sites. Retaliation and reactions to the March events happened on the other side of the border, in Serbia, too. There was violence in the cities of Nis and Novi Sad. Albanians and other minority groups were targeted. There too private properties and religious and cultural sites were damaged.

Kosovo back then did not have the institutional preparedness it has now to prevent or de-escalate the situation. The country was under total international administration. The Kosovo Police, which was then called the Kosovo Police Service, consisted of troops that were not equipped for such riots. Nevertheless, several members of the police force showed courage by risking their own lives to help and protect Serbs in many cities and villages.

Since then, the majority of material damages which then took advantage over human losses, were recuperated. Orthodox religious sites were renovated with the funds of Kosovo taxpayers. Today they have special physical protection from the Kosovo Police.

20 years later, we remember those events, although with any unknowns, and we remind ourselves that peace and security cannot be taken for granted. They [peace and security] are more difficult than violence because they need to be maintained and safeguarded continuously.

And what we know is that Egzon, Avni and Florent are missed by their families and by all of us, today and every other day.

Government: Placing of signs in north in line with the constitution (Koha)

The Kosovo government on Sunday opposed the position of the language commissioner that operates within the Prime Minister’s Office according to whom the placing of signs in Latin in the northern municipalities is against the Constitution of Kosovo. The government argues that the Constitution and the law require equality between languages.

The language commissioner, Slavisa Mladenovic, raised the issue on Saturday, but a government spokesperson said that the essence is to provide information in native languages and not to create inequalities by placing one official language over the other. “The Constitution and the law determine the use of both languages and with its actions the government has proved that it implements this,” the spokesperson said. He also said that the same practice is implemented in the signs of regional and national roads in other Serb-majority municipalities.

Police arrest Serbian national for damaging traffic signs in Leposavic (media)

Kosovo Police arrested a Serbian national on Saturday in Leposavic suspected of vandalizing two traffic signs in the municipality.

COMKFOR: KFOR continues efforts to prevent any escalation (VoA in Albanian)

Commander of NATO peacekeeping troops in Kosovo, Ozkan Ulutas, said in an interview with the Voice of America in Albanian, that the security situation is quiet but still fragile after last year’s tensions in the north of Kosovo. He said that KFOR continues efforts to prevent any escalation and that it remains ready to respond to any possible challenge.

Ulutas said that the attack against KFOR troops on May 29 last year and the violent attack on September 24 were unprovoked and unacceptable, and that the perpetrators must be held accountable.

Ulutas said “we know that all people in Kosovo want and deserve to sustainable peace and security. As NATO Secretary General said during his visit to the Western Balkans last November that ‘sustainability in the region depends on all parties that need to choose diplomacy over violence’. NATO strongly supports the EU-facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. Both parties need to engage in confidence. This is the only way to reach solutions that respect the rights of all communities,” he said.

Pacolli: Delays in meeting obligations lead to pressure and damage (media)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AKR), Behgjet Pacolli, called on Prime Minister Albin Kurti to be careful in relations with internationals and said that the Kosovo government needs to meet its obligations without making media shows.

Pacolli argued that delays in implementing the Association of Serb-majority municipalities are resulting in pressure and damages for Kosovo. “I would recommend to the Kosovo government to be cautious if it intends to implement something similar to the Decani [Monastery] case and to do it without polemics and without entering into inconvenient situations that put Kosovo in a bad position in relation with internationals. I believe the government should know what it needs to do and if there is an obligation that it intends to meet, it should do so immediately and not after unnecessary shows.

Pacolli also said he believes that the implementation of the Association could end the saga of the dialogue with Serbia.

Tahiri: Two important moments this week for CoE membership (media)

Several news websites reported on Sunday that a report on Kosovo will be presented at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on March 27. Head of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) parliamentary group, Besnik Tahiri, said in a Facebook post on Sunday that he is travelling to Paris for the important event. “I am on my way to Paris, where as member of the Committee for Equality and Non-Discrimination of the Council of Europe, we will discuss thematic issues of the Committee and we will also meetings about Kosovo’s membership in the Council,” he said. “There are two important moments this week. The meeting of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy that will be held on March 27. This is an extraordinary meeting with only one point, the application of Kosovo. The report needs to be voted with ½, namely 27 MPs need to vote in the Committee and then send it to the plenary session of PACE for voting. 2/3 of votes are required at the Parliamentary Assembly”.

Historians’ League wants Kurti to resign over Decani Monastery decision (media)

The League of Historians in Decan issued a statement calling for the resignation of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, claiming that his order to the Kosovo Cadastral Agency to register the lands to the Decani Monastery are “the biggest legal attack against the constitutional order of the Republic of Kosovo”. Referring to the time when Kurti was in the opposition, the League of Historians said “we want to recall that for days he surrounded and blocked the municipality of Decan with the sole purpose of opposing the claims of the leader of the Decani Monastery … We hoped that as Prime Minister, Kurti would not yield in terms of the lands in Decan, but the opposite happened and in fact he agreed to the enforcement of the decisions of Milosevic in Kosovo and he ordered this with his signature”.

CAA: U.S. must remain engaged in the Western Balkans (VoA in Albanian)

The Council of American Ambassadors recently published a report after a fact-finding visit to Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia. Ambassador Philip Hughes, a representative of the CAA, said in an interview with the Voice of America in Albanian that the three countries of the Western Balkans made exceptional progress but that they continue to face challenges including political interferences from neighboring countries or in the case of Albania criminality and corruption and the lack of a genuine democracy.

Hughes said the U.S. should continue to promote close dialogue with all parties in the region and also maintain the presence of American forces there.

Hughes also said that the region of the Balkans is very important “because it is a region that is making democratic and economic progress. I hope that Kosovo will one day pass the threshold and become a member of the European Union and NATO … From my experience, the United States often had to deal with urgent issues, and this causes delays in treating other important issues. During the 1990s, the conflicts in the Balkans were an immediate crisis. They are not such now but can become again part of an immediate crisis if the conflict in Ukraine has a bad ending for the Ukrainians or if Russia continues its aggression, or if the worst case scenario it tries to test Article 5 of the NATO treaty, in an effort to break the Alliance. This is why the region needs continuous political attention from the United States”.

 

 

 

Serbian Language Media 

 

Vucic: We will change our approach to the Kosovo issue; Serbia will no longer be subjected to a fait accompli (Kosovo Online)

Serbia will change its doctrine and approach to the Kosovo issue, and it will no longer be possible to put the country in a fait accompli situation, the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic stated yesterday, reported portal Kosovo Online in English.

"Twenty-five years ago, they started taking away Kosovo and Metohija from us with weapons, and they haven't stopped even today," Vucic emphasized in a statement to journalists after receiving students from Kosovo at the Palace of Serbia.

He stressed that Serbia would continue to honorably defend freedom and international law.

Vucic said he expected only bad news for Serbia in the coming period, but he would talk about it in the coming days.

Read more at:  https://t.ly/GIdUz

Borrell: It is high time for Kosovo and Serbia to break current vicious cycle of crises and tensions (N1)

Tomorrow marks the first anniversary of the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation that Kosovo and Serbia concluded in Ohrid, North Macedonia. The Agreement and its Implementation Annex were achieved after months of intense negotiations under the facilitation by the European Union to help the Parties to make a leap forward in the normalisation of their relations, said yesterday EU’s HR for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell on the occasion of the anniversary.

“In times of an unprecedented full-scale war on our continent, reaching an agreement that promises peace, stability, and good neighbourly relations, was a landmark achievement. For the first time during the EU-facilitated Dialogue, the Parties agreed on clear parameters defining the trajectory of the process to normalise their relations. This Agreement and its implementation will clearly demonstrate that both partners’ future is in the European Union,” he said.

Borrell noted it is “regrettable” that despite extensive efforts by the EU and the broader international community, there has been so far very limited progress by both Kosovo and Serbia in implementing the obligations they accepted under this Agreement. “The EU recalled repeatedly that the Agreement is binding in its entirety under international law. Therefore, any lack of implementation does not only endanger the Parties’ European integration, but it also damages their reputation as credible and reliable partners.”

“It is now high time for both Kosovo and Serbia to break the current vicious cycle of crises and tensions and move into a new – European – era. The Agreement offers a better future for the citizens of Kosovo and Serbia and the entire region,” he stressed.

He expressed the expectation that the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia to show responsibility, vision, and leadership by making progress in implementation with no further delay. It is an opportunity they should not miss. “The EU continues to stand ready to help Kosovo and Serbia in every step along the way, but they are the ones who have to take those steps and move forward.”

20th anniversary of the March pogrom (KoSSev)

Exactly 20 years have passed since March 17, 2004 – the biggest ethnic violence that happened in Kosovo after the entry of international military and civilian forces. Thee relations between the two peoples have significantly deteriorated despite the denial of the Kosovo authorities.

Leaders of the Serbian List, the Provisional Municipal Authority of Kosovska Mitrovica and the assistant of the Kosovo Office laid wreaths at the Monument of Truth to Jana Tucev and Borivoje Spasojevic this morning.

A central manifestation took place in Gračanica, as it does every year, and Bishop Teodosije was holding a sermon.

“We remember with pain the destruction of our sanctuaries. We pray to God that this kind of violence never happens again and that all people in Kosovo and Metohija live in peace and respect for the spiritual and cultural heritage of all communities,“ said the Diocese last night.

Read the Diocese report on the Gracanica’s central manifestation here: https://rb.gy/6m15fa

The President of Serbia greeted around a hundred children from Kosovo, who arrived in Belgrade yesterday.

The role of the media

In March 2004, the role of the Kosovo media emerged as a special issue, on which the OSCE in Vienna issued a special report in which it criticized the “obvious spin”, “irresponsible and sensational” reporting by the electronic media in Albanian language.

“It should also be noted that the media, specifically the broadcasting sector, displayed unacceptable levels of emotion, bias, carelessness, and falsely applied ‘patriotic’ zeal. In particular, the reporting on the evening of 16 March by the three main Kosovar TV channels deserves the strongest possible criticism,” it was saod in the OSCE report.

OSCE report “The Role of the Media in the March 2004 Events in Kosovo” available at:https://rb.gy/2gjwed

Diocese on who paid the restoration of holy sites destroyed in the March pogrom (KoSSev) 

On the eve of the 20th anniversary of the biggest ethnic violence in post-war Kosovo, in which the Serbian people, as well as the Roma, came under attack, Kosovo PM Albin Kurti announced that the majority of the material damage has been repaired, and that “with the money of Kosovo taxpayers, Orthodox religious buildings have been restored”. He added that material damage at that time “took precedence over human losses”.

Recalling that in the “March pogrom on March 17 and 18, 2004, Albanian extremists destroyed or severely damaged 35 monasteries and churches of the Serbian Orthodox Church“, the Diocese confirmed for KoSSev that most of the destroyed churches have been rebuilt from 2005 to 2010.

However, they explained that the reconstruction was also done with the help of the international community, specifying what exactly was reconstructed with those funds, pointing out that the reconstruction was led by the Commission for the Reconstruction of the Council of Europe, but also that cooperation with Kosovo institutions was halted after 2010.

Read more at:https://n9.cl/j2jo0

Kurti from Cabra: Children jumped into Ibar to avoid the escort of Serbian youths; unclear who then directed the demonstrators towards the Serbs (KoSSev)

It has never been clarified who directed the protest participants towards the settlements with Serbs and Orthodox churches and monasteries, said Albin Kurti on Saturday ahead of the 20th anniversary of the biggest ethnic violence after the war, reported KoSSev portal.

He visited the graves of three Albanian boys, drowned in Cabra on this day in 2004, which will serve as an occasion for what the Serbs call a pogrom. After Self-Determination presented its version of the March violence, so did the PM of Kosovo in a public address, and according to the attached photos, he also visited the graves in Cabra. Although with a similar message - albeit with a milder choice of sentence formulation about the fact that the Serbs rushed the boys into the river, Kurti, unlike the party he leads, still mentioned the Serbian victims, as well as the Albanian ones; then the fact that the violence was directed first at the international forces, and only then at the Serbs; although he emphasized that it was not clear "who directed them" towards the Serbs. He also presented an interpretation of the context in which the violence occurred, giving an assessment of the uncertainty of Kosovo's future at that time, and the still fresh wounds from the war; with an explanation of how riotous protests arise.

He claims that they were a momentary mass spontaneous reaction, that they were not organized in any detail and that as such they can hardly be controlled to remain calm.

"Only a handful is enough" for violence, and that's exactly what happened, explains Kurti, a veteran of protests, many of which were massive and violent during the years of opposition activity of Self-Determination. He also pointed out the shortcomings of the international administration of Kosovo at that time, i.e. that Kosovo did not have its "institutional preparation" at the time, praising the Kosovo police officers, although he justified them for not being equipped to respond to the riots in 2004. He also praised the fact that the damage to the religious buildings was compensated - he refers to them as Orthodox - with the emphasis that this was done with the taxes of the citizens of Kosovo and that the police guard them even today. He also recalled the counter-reaction in Serbia - the violence of Serbian extremists in Nis, Belgrade and Novi Sad, when famous mosques were destroyed, and Albanians were attacked. In the end, he emphasized that with the memory of the "events of March" there are "many unknowns" about how it "happened", once again mentioning the names of the three drowned children, reported KoSSev.

The SL: Self-Determination's brutal lies – a continuation of a dangerous policy of hatred towards the Serbs (Kosovo Online)

The Serbian List stated that the brutal lies propagated by the political party Self-Determination, led by Albin Kurti, regarding the March Pogrom and ethnic cleansing of the Serbs and everything Serbian that had occurred in March 2004, were a continuation of a dangerous policy of hatred and ideology of evil towards the Serbs and everything Serbian by Pristina.

"Those who deny the crime and replace the victim with the aggressor are ready to repeat the crime, and we witness this today with daily attacks on the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, shootings at Serbian children, our compatriots, arrests, beatings, desecration of our graves, and the bones of our ancestors. The aim of such shameful and heinous statements by Kurti is to distort the truth and create a false narrative about these events, which are still a fresh wound in the memories of the Serbs who experienced this suffering," the statement said.

Read more at:  https://rb.gy/4t996w

Self-Determination ahead of March 17: 3 children were killed in Cabra, peaceful Albanian demonstrators were shot by Serbian criminals, justice was not served (KoSSev)

Yesterday marked the 20th anniversary of March ethnic violence in post-war Kosovo, following the entry of international civilian and military troops as peace guarantors. Although 11 of the 19 victims were ethnic Albanians, the violence was aimed at expelling Serbs, destroying their property, as well as cultural and spiritual heritage, while the Albanians who died were part of the extremist mob, reported KoSSev portal.

Self-Determination marked this date as the day of the Albanian tragedy and peaceful protest, placing the blame on the Serbs, whom the party portrayed as criminals, as well as on the international troops for failing to protect the Albanians.

They laid wreaths at the cemetery of the children killed in the village of Cabra, claiming that the children were killed by Serbs, reported KoSSev.

Without mentioning the Serbian victims and the Albanian extremists, they emphasized that it was a peaceful demonstration, and that the Serbs were the ones who organized themselves in Mitrovica, while Serbian criminals attacked the citizens from the south.

Below we publish the translation of the Self-Determination announcement in its entirety, followed by the Human Rights Watch report published immediately after the March violence. This is just one in a series of international findings which fully contradicts the claims made by the ruling Kosovo party.

Read more at:  https://t.ly/x6Hw_

First referendum then elections: Four municipalities in north of Kosovo still without mayors (N1)

Four municipalities in the north of Kosovo are still waiting for a solution to the problem - the mayor. After the citizens' petition for the removal of the mayor appointed following the elections that were boycotted by the Serbs, the CEC is now organising a referendum for the dismissal of mayor.

The Commission said it has started preparations for that process, and that will be necessary to collect 50 percent of the votes from each municipality.

“The CEC has started intensive preparations for the organization of this election process, which will be held in four municipalities on April 21, and in this regard has set deadlines for the main activities of this process – holding the election campaign, accreditation for observers who are interested in closely monitoring the election process, as well as the formation of electoral bodies such as municipal election commissions and polling station councils, which will be engaged on the day of voting. Other deadlines have also been set, such as the registration period for voters outside Kosovo,” said the Kosovo’s CEC spokesperson. 

The Serbian Democracy party requested that the organising of the referendum in the north of Kosovo be taken over by the OSCE, “in order to ensure a fair and just process of replacing the mayor.”

If the second vote held on April 21 is successful and the required number of citizens cast their ballots, the President of Kosovo has a legal term of 30 to 45 days to call new early elections for four municipalities in the north of Kosovo.

Blinken: We need to see both Kosovo and Serbia keep tensions low (KoSSev, N1)

The EU-facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is the only viable mechanism, the only viable path forward, said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking in a press conference during his Austria visit. “We need to see good-faith, constructive efforts by both Kosovo and Serbia to stabilize the relationship and to move down that path, keep tensions low,” said Blinken, Kossev reported. He also called on the parties to fulfill the commitments they undertook as part of the dialogue, but also to “to increase coordination, to increase transparency with international partners”. Blinken looked back on the 1990s, stating that at that time a good part of the world’s focus was directed towards the Balkans, namely Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. “And one thing we don’t need, that Europe doesn’t need, and especially the people of the Western Balkans don’t need is a back-to-the-future moment, where we find ourselves back in the 1990s,” he stressed. However, he noted that the Western Balkans today is taking a different path, towards the full integration with Europe. “We share the goal of a democratic, prosperous, peaceful region integrated with the rest of Europe,” he said.