All that happened at the joint meeting of two Albanian governments Kosovo

A series of joint agreements between Albania and Kosovo are being implemented to guide economies between the two countries.

Prime Minister Edi Rama, in remarks held at the joint meeting of the two governments, stressed that, in Prizren, in the city where Albanians claimed their right to exist a century and a half ago, our governments began in 2014 a path that has created an unlimited space of co-operation”.

“Politics starts with a will and it's the desire that turns to”. For Rugova, politics was an instrument that finds strength in dreams. Today, we can face the weight of his high-handed inheritance, inspired by policymaking based on the reality of a land, a people and a dream”, Rama said.

Border from partition, on an unprecedented bridge of cooperation

Together, the prime minister came along, “we have transformed the border from a partition gap, into an unprecedented co-operation bridge”.

Today, Rama added, “we have gathered for the fourth time, in the Korca of Culture and National History to continue the work undertaken and co-ordinated on the priorities of brotherly interaction between the two countries, further harmonisation of our interests in the function of the European future and the prosperity of the entire Albanian world”.

Prime Minister Rama commended Prime Minister Haradinaj for his steadfast and government commitment leading to the advance of reforms with Euro-Atlantic, to the benefit of a comprehensive and multiethnic society in Kosovo”.

Our two governments are being reunited after more than a year, so it is only natural to be guided by a balance effort that will enable us to analyze what we have achieved and where we will aim to get to the next steps. In a general look and analysis, it turns out that the already consolidated tradition of meetings of both governments or G2Gs, according to the installed jargon, is not only positive but also productive”, Rama said.

While, Rama stressed, “we have held three Intergovernmental Meetings, the results are concrete, visible and tangible. The Joint Declaration for Co-operation and Strategic Partnership between the two countries, signed in Prizren on 11 January 2014, is our map of our road to life of co-operation and our synergies in bilateral, regional and European plan”.

Structuring Work, Communication, Interaction

“We've structured the work mode, communication and interaction simultaneously between the two meetings: The Joint Secretariat, co-chaired by the two deputy foreign affairs ministers of the respective countries, has been established and has representatives of all ministries and line institutions in its composition. The secretariat follows, co-ordinates and co-ordinates inter-ministerial work, in the function of implementing agreements under Intergovernmental Meetings”, the government head said.

The prime minister stressed that the Kosovo and Albanian line ministries have established Joint Labour Groups, which hold meetings regularly. “Sic is envisioned in the Strategic Partnership Declaration, several agreements and protocols are under way related to facilitating trade exchanges, removing tariff and non-tariff barriers, unifying goods certificate, further facilitating customs procedures and costs”, Rama said.

Thus, the prime minister followed, “has been fully enabled to exchange electronic documentation for transit goods through Albania with the destination of Kosovo, evidently facilitating the entire transit procedure. This has drastically reduced the time for performing” procedures.

Opening other customs points between two countries

Rama underlined that, “is working on opening other customs points between the two countries to further facilitate the transport of goods”.

He also added the prime minister, “, the Green Line for goods vehicles in Morina Customs, which facilitates transportation, especially during the summer season, when there is a dense flow of vehicles. Despite that, we still have work to do to reduce the time citizens spend at the border and enable a rapid transitation of them”.

Rama said that good work is being done in the direction of the unification of goods, removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers, etc.

Kosovo Operational Office in Port of Durres

The prime minister announced that, work will follow for the opening of the Kosovo Customs Operational Office at the Durres Port, and that means it will be operational in a few weeks. The ministries of foreign affairs, finance and customs authorities of our two countries are in constant co-operation in the function of concreteising this project within a shorter time of”.

According to the government's head, the opening of this office will significantly affect facilitating Kosovo's trade exchanges with other countries. “Only during the January-October 2017 period around 120 thousand tonnes of processed goods at the port of Durres belong to transit exports with Kosovo. Transit exports from the KS make up 11% of the volume of processed goods to this port, while transit imports to KS 10%. Kosovo's destination goods will carry out all customs procedures at the Durres Port, without having the need for additional stops at customs stations between Albania and Kosovo. This drastically cuts the time for conducting procedures, lowers goods costs, and increases commercial benefits. Consequently, Kosovo's market increases its authenticity for goods from abroad, enabling the diversification of countries from which to import”>, Rama said.

400 Interconction Line Completes KW between two countries

The prime minister announced that, the 400 interconnection line is complete KW between the two countries, which unfortunately is not yet being put to work due to the procedural obstacle created by the outside.

“We are committed to the TAP tree for Kosovo and beyond in the region, which would create access to this important gas supply line. It is going on to co-ordinate the two sides in infrastructure projects, which are also an important part of interconception under the Berlin Process””, Rama said.

Increasing bilateral interest in business field

The government's head also added that there is an increase in mutual interest in the business field, and statistics speak very clearly. If 80 new businesses from Albania were registered in 2015 in Kosovo, 141 registered in 2016, so we have almost doubled within a 1-year period. Currently in Kosovo, about 930 businesses from Albania exercise their activity, while about 600 companies from Kosovo operate in Albania”.

As for the trade volume, Rama underlined that, <x0gtia with Kosovo constitutes 2.7% of Albania's overall trade, while in 2006 it represented only 1.11x1>.

“in the 2006-2016 trade between our two states is over fivefold, from about 30 miles in 2006 to 165 miles in 2016. The current year has all the chances of being confirmed as the most successful year in trade exchange between our two countries, breaking the 194m-euro record set in 2015”.

For the January-September period, the prime minister added that, according to INSTAT data, Albanian exports have increased to over 15 billion new money -- from 12 billion in the same period a year ago. Meanwhile, imports from Kosovo -- in the first nine months of the year -- amount to 6.1 billion, up from 4 billion in January-September 2016”.

Further Relief of Procedures

Evidently, Rama said, <x0 potential is far greater. For this reason, the two governments are working to further facilitate the procedures so that in the future we can have even greater exchanges and values. It is very important that our economies be guided to each other with all the components of them”.

On the other hand, Rama stressed, the <x0 channel our governments have adopted within the framework of a region that wants to integrate into the European Union is to promote convergence, interconnectivity, improving standards, using all instruments available for the collapse of any barriers and promoting trade exchange”.

With Kosovo, Rama said, “but also with other countries in the region, including Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro, we are engaged in such a process in the function of mutual benefit, regional co-operation and common European perspective. That purpose will also serve the functioning of the Regional Economic Zone”.

Strengthening diplomatic action in support of Kosovo's Euro-Atlantic aspirations

Of course, Rama added, “in this context will remain committed to empowering our inexplicable diplomatic action in support of Kosovo's Euro-Atlantic aspirations, and especially its overall regional inclusion, as the only precondition for a region in peace, secure and integrated as a whole in NATO and the EU”.

However, the prime minister said, the deepening of the strategic partnership is a process that does not go without challenges. We are all aware that this unique joint venture requires daily courage on both sides to cope with the blocking trends of immediate interest, clans and monopolies which never find themselves on the beneficial long-term effects of the economy and integrated market. It is in the common interest to resist these pressures and to work on finding and building all mechanisms that power the current” achievements.

Further Reconfirming Strategic Partnership With Kosovo

Encouraged by the current balance, our current task is to do more, more concrete and more dynamicly. All in Albania and Kosovo expect more of us. It is necessary at this stage to further demonstrate the Strategic Partnership with Kosovo, making it comprehensive and with the aim of turning it into a model and encouragement for regional co-operation”, Rama said.

Right, the prime minister added, “the function of this important ambition, we are engaged and agreeing to this meeting towards a quality new approach that promotes overall exchanges, a greater interconnection and increased furniture of the value and trade capital of that human”.

New impetus for Bilateral Investments

With the new agreements and protocols we are signing today, we will give them a new impetus to boost bilateral investments and further facilitate trade exchange between our two countries, as well as to countries in the region and beyond. Even mutual recognition of the pension rights for our citizens is undoubtedly, and for the first time, literal recognition of ever-growing ties and furniture between our two dynamic societies. Improving energy interconnection also represents an ongoing goal that, as during this intergovernmental meeting, will further reinforce our capacities for active participation in energy corridors and the European regional and European market”, Rama underlined.

Diasporas, Parts and Contributors of Common Roads

Speaking to the diaspora, the prime minister said, “a new dynamic in relations between the two countries directly impact the prosperity of the entire Albanian space. With this vision, we are giving primary attention to this meeting and to increasing cooperation between our two countries in activating our global diaspora. As the First Diaspore Summit held in Tirana last year showed, the diaspora remains a valuable common asset, a rich, but untapped potential, which should be included as extensively in the drafting and implementation of our policies as a whole, through a concrete interaction in mutual interest. In accordance with this joint commitment, in addition to jointly empowering the spread of Albanian culture and language for the diaspora, we will work to re-see the structures and create mechanisms that will operate together with Kosovo to make our diaspora part and contributors to the common route”.

With this new structural and radical European optical look, Rama added, “to work so that this IV meeting can open a new chapter in the function of more and more pragmatic co-operation and the result that radiates value added not only in the region's geopolitical locks, but also in the common Euro-Atlantic perspective”.

The true history of humanity can only be written when Albanians are allowed to participate in its” script. That's how great Albanologist Maximian Lambert predicted half a century ago. Today, here from Corca, no one can stop us from becoming the letter of modern European history. We just have to decide, unanimously, what we will write”, Prime Minister Rama said.

Haradinaj: Strengthening Kosovo only through co-operation with Albania

Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, in his speech at the joint meeting between the two Albanian governments Kosovo, stressed that” the strengthening of Kosovo in the Balkans is better achieved and accelerated between Kosovo and Albania”.

“With the 12 agreements expected today to be signed between the two governments -- that of Albania and Kosovo -- will deepen even more co-operation between the two countries”, Haradinaj said.

Kosovo Prime Minister said that “Kosovo still has difficulties with membership of international mechanisms in gaining recognition. So I want to appeal that Albania also assists Kosovo in membership in international mechanisms”.

Furthermore, Haradinaj stressed that “this meeting of our two governments is holding in the town of Korca of the first Albanian school opened 130 years ago and also on the 105th anniversary of Albania's independence. This year has also been proclaimed the nationwide year of Skenderbeu by the government of Albania and Prime Minister Rama”.

According to him, this year sums up our Euro-Atlantic dream, which we best do together.

The Kosovo prime minister, citing some of the Kosovo government's achievements in this short time, stressed that the first is the European agenda of Kosovo, which has been integrated and is now in the country's” governing programme.

At the same time, he came, a valid agenda for us is NATO membership.

“Today is “Kosovo Force Day” and we are working with our partners and I believe we are in the right direction and soon we will have the transformation of KSF into the country's armed forces”, Haradinaj said.

The head of the Kosovo government said that “has dedicated importance to strengthening the rule and law. What remains a challenge in Kosovo is fighting corruption, a new evil, which endangers Kosovo in many respects”.

Haradinaj said that we are working on strengthening Kosovo on the internal plan, even though it is facing many challenges, some of which are specific because of the not long life as states and non-locked issues”.

But, he added, I mean we are committed to dialogue with Serbia.

We think of the “Dialog in the final moments and think that the dialogue epilogue should bring recognition of Kosovo from Serbia. For dialogue to reach the right epilogue, we feel necessary US participation and relief from the European Union and the US.

Haradinaj, speaking of Kosovo's integration processes, said strengthening Kosovo in the Balkans is better achieved and accelerated between co-operation between Kosovo and Albania”. / A T S