Serbia Message, Borders Not Changed Without War

One of the politicians who has been dealing with dialogue with Serbia, former Minister for Dialogue Edita Tahiri, sees no possibility that Kosovo will accept the topic of exchange of territories with Serbia. She even says that despite Serbia's insistence, this topic should be closed. Tahiri mentions war as one of the consequences that such a subject could produce.

The other version, according to it, is to change borders this topic for the entire Balkans. To reach this point, however, reconciliation of other countries and the West must be made. It predicts that this cannot happen because of international opposition.

However, Tahiri has said the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia should produce mutual recognition. But, in no way, any compromise as Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq is demanding.

According to Edita Tahiri, Serbia must pay the price of genocide it committed in Kosovo.

There can be no compromise... Serbia cannot seek compromise, but should apologise for the crimes it committed in Kosovo”, Tahiri has said in the interview for Gazette Express.

Serbia is willing to advance “Association”, while Kosovo is energy. How do you see the actual process of dialogue?

Edita Tahiri: In fact, from implementing obligations, Kosovo has only implementation of the Association Agreement, which must be in accordance with the Brussels Agreement and with the Constitutional Court's decision. While Serbia has a series of obligations such as energy, which has been blocked for seven years. Second, it is the opening of the Ibër bridge that politically blocks Serbia. Third, Serbia prevents the deployment of Kosovo institutions' offices in the north, where we have employed people in the event of civilian protection. Serbia blocks the cadastre deal as well as the diploma agreement. In addition to implementing the association, all remaining facilities must be eliminated, they are in education and health. There are also some elements of municipal structures and they must be erased because it is part of the agreement. So on one side Kosovo has a duty, while Serbia has other obligations. Kosovo must have a strategy to become an Implementation Plan. It is designed to go into the design of the Association station and at the same time see the implementation of all these agreements. In order that when the completion of the draft of the Association Status comes to an end and Serbia implements obligations. We can't equal association with energy.

In July last year, I sent a report to the EU, identifying the obligations of Kosovo and Serbia. The Kosovo side should insist on making a Implementation Plan on concrete terms. Because Serbia does not implement agreements.

It's showing that technical groups are successful. How do you now see this process when the President is taking over the lead in dialogue?

Edita Tahiri: Political level involvement has shown a constant need in dialogue. Because in cases where technical levels do not work out, things need to be motivated by the political level. The president, according to the Constitution, has components in foreign policy. And this activity is within foreign policy. In the final phase of the dialogue, a comprehensive delegation must be formed, the entire relevant political spectrum -- the president, Government and Parliament. In the final phase, a authorisation should be issued from Parliament as the government has. Even now we must have a support from Parliament to authorise the president-led dialogue.

What are the topics Serbia has consistently tried to put into dialogue with Kosovo?

Edita Tahiri: In fact, the Serbian side at the moment it saw that we are willing to implement the Association in December 2016. There was another meeting at the American Embassy, attended by representatives of the government, the Serb community and O SBE. The next day, Serbia placed the wall on northern Mitrovica. And then he gave signals that he doesn't want the results of the dialogue. Because the results of the dialogue integrated the North into the Kosovo system. So he put up the wall and entered dangerous scenarios... The goal was to fail dialogue, and Serbia was trying to enter into territorial exchange scenarios and division. At the time, Serbia had illusions that US policies could change with Trump's arrival for the Balkans... Then Serbia was forced to enter dialogue. To this day, Serbia is walking on two tracks. On the one hand, lobbies are continuing to exchange territories and divisions on the other side for dialogue. But these scenarios lead to war. If the borders are affected, war is raging. Because the Balkans do not change borders without war.

Were the internationals especially the Germans against such a scenario?

Edita Tahiri: The first, in Brussels, we have never allowed topics related to Kosovo's sovereignty and territorial integrity. I have no information about these conversations. It's just media. But, we not only in dialogue with Brussels, our obligation is to protect sovereignty and integrity. Recently, I'm listening to Vucin about compromises. Everyone must know that Kosovo is lost. Serbia has committed genocide in Kosovo. He committed murder and slaughter. We have lost and it is time for Serbia to pay the price of Kosovo's damages through the war and the protocol committed here.

Is Edi Rama included on this subject?

Edita Tahiri: I have no information like that. But Kosovo decides for itself. Kosovo has testified for all Albanian people that Kosovo is the most vital part of the nation. Of course, Albania's assistance should not be denied. But Albania's leadership must honour in exact terms that Kosovo is independent and decides for its own destiny.

In Kosovo it is speculated that the new agreement with Serbia should secure Kosovo's seat at the UN. What can I compromise in this dialogue?

Edita Tahiri: The first, Brussels dialogue, for the Republic of Kosovo has had red lines and still has them. No status talks. Then, more rights cannot be given to the Serb minority than the Ahtisaari Plan has provided. Third, Serbia should be pleased by the Irish intervention in Kosovo. These lines remain to the end. As far as membership is concerned, we still have problems. We need recognition. We have to reach 2/3 of the recognitions clears the way for membership. But the third phase cannot compromise. Because Serbia has killed us, so it must pay the price. Germany during World War II has accepted responsibility and acted on that responsibility. Serbia has never claimed responsibility for the genocide it committed in Kosovo... Serbia will try to send dialogue towards compromise, but we have powerful legal and political arguments. JND has confirmed independence and Serbia has committed genocide. Serbia cannot seek compromise but should apologise for the crimes it committed in Kosovo.

Can the topic of division or exchange of territories ever arise in dialogue?

Edita Tahiri: No, he can never get out. Serbia nobody can stop it from coming up with such topics. Ours is to close these topics unless we discuss all the Balkan borders. Then there is another matter.

So, can you discuss the borders of the entire Balkans on the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue?

Edita Tahiri: No. There is no dialogue in this format. The Brussels dialogue is of Kosovo and Serbia. We need to ask the Balkan countries and the international factor on topics. It is the entry into a phase where all borders of the Balkans and the concept of ethnic states are discussed.

In the entire Balkans, is it a problem to discuss this topic, since it affects many countries?

Edita Tahiri: Kosovo does not require border change. Kosovo and Albania have vision of EU and Euro-Atlantic integration. We don't initiate border change. But, Serbia is constantly initiating border change because it still has its mind on large Serbia. Opening the topic of partitioning Kosovo, Serbia is focusing on Republika Srpska. That there is much with Kosovo as much as it has with the part of the “Republic S[rpska”...

See the mood for Kosovo leaders to open or test this topic?

Edita Tahiri: In the conversation I've had before, before September last year, with all leaders, we've all been on a line that this is a red line and this theme should not be allowed to be opened despite Serbia's trends. By September it was that attitude. I guess that's the way it is.

Nevertheless, there have been voices in Kosovo that have supported such an idea. Like, for example, Lutfi Haziri, Nexhat Daci, Qosya...

Edita Tahiri: Major projects require visionary people. The visionary people have the ability to design strategies as well. Political statements are easy. The ways of realisation are difficult. We should appreciate how much we arrived, so successfully, the people of Kosovo, with peaceful and armed roads, managed to make the state with the allies. We have to sit at the UN. Once we are internationally sovereign, if such topics are opened in the Balkans, we should also be willing to speak. Without rounding up the process of international sovereignty, however, we should not get into such topics.