Thaci opposes war friend: Border correction

REL: Mr Limaj, the more the final phase is approaching in talks between Kosovo and Serbia, the more statements are being added by the highest state officials for, reportedly, correction of the borders, including the possibility of joining Kosovo's Presevo Valley. But how real is the statement of such expectations, do you think?

Fatmir Limaj: We, we are at a point when this final dialogue should begin, ending with an agreement that is said to be binding, which leads to mutual recognition of both countries and this dialogue has not yet begun. This dialogue before it starts should have a team, such as the debate in Kosovo and institutions, to have a team that would lead this dialogue.

There are voices of having a platform, principles and different principles, and all of these are in the first phase of preparation to build the team so that Kosovo is ready to develop this final part of the dialogue.

Of course, we as a country are interested in closing open issues with neighbouring countries, and my attitude, my appeal is to all the leaders here at institutions, to be careful in their statements, especially the management of institutions.

We here have the obligation to respect the Constitution and the laws of Kosovo. Such statements by carriers of institutions outside the Constitution and the laws of Kosovo are unacceptable. We must be careful what we declare. It is not good and does not help build a broader consensus and prepare for that part of the final dialogue.

If, someone needs to prepare the opinion, Serbia is what it takes ... (Aleksandar) Vuciqi works and every day has statements to prepare its own opinion, it is understandable because they have lost Kosovo for 20 years now.

We as Kosovo leaders do not need to prepare Kosovo because Kosovo is a recognised independent state. We have laws and constitutions, and we have ended here in the Ahtisaari package. So we need to be careful about conflicting, constant attitudes, something else said before day, and after day something else.

This not only doesn't help, it harms efforts to build consensus, damages and credibility in the upcoming process, imposes unnecessary fear and panic, and above all is contrary to our duties. Practically, there are statements outside the Constitution, and this should not happen from the carriers of institutions.

REL: If the border correction issue were opened, what would be the effects for Kosovo, considering that even in Belgrade, it has often been talked about partitioning Kosovo?

Fatmir Limaj: What I can tell you today is that everyone has to understand, everyone has to have it clear, Kosovo will not accept and cannot accept any deal that undermines it, destroys our state in any way.

No one in Kosovo, no host of institutions, none of us, nor do we have a right, nor can we if we wanted to do so. Kosovo is bigger than the host of institutions. We are talking about a vital issue -- in Kosovo, Republika Srpska will never have -- Kosovars will never accept it. I'm saying Kosovo citizens will never accept it. We will not accept such a thing. This is the destruction and destruction of our country.

We have an example of what's going on in Bosnia, so all those with claims like this, and we know there are claims, to undermine, to get the mines in. In this effort we have made together with the international community, they must understand in Kosovo that does not work. Kosovo is another reality, it is not Bosnia and there is no price that can be introduced to pay, to destroy our country. No choice, that's not the solution.

We expect a dialogue on open issues. Of course we have issues that we need to discuss with Serbia, I believe Serbia has issues that should discuss with Kosovo. These are the same topics that would go to the conclusion of open conflict issues, topics that would create a new situation of development in the region and close open conflicts or topics and ultimately result in mutual recognition of the two countries, namely, with Kosovo's recognition actually from Serbia. Kosovo membership in all international mechanisms and in the UN. That's what we expect, and we have to work.

REL: Launched by these positions of Pristina and Belgrade, do you expect the dialogue eventually to end with a historic agreement on normalising relations?

Fatmir Limaj: It's in Serbia's interest, if I can say it, to get this heavy burden of Kosovo out of the neck, which has without need now been punishing its own citizens for 20 years. Eventually, they must understand the reality and continue to live as neighbours helping each other and on the strategic road the region has towards European integration. This is it. This makes sense in a final agreement, and this could be called a peace deal, and this could be called a final conclusion of the conflict. Remember, I believe that closing open topics between Kosovo and Serbia is the conclusion of the longest and earliest historical conflict in Europe.

REL: Why is there actually a consensus and a platform missing for dialogue?

Fatmir Limaj: The problem is that after a tradition of consensus on national subjects, war years, and post-war years, as far as Vienna, that consensus has been broken so that we can all be together, especially after 2011 of conversations called the Brussels dialogue.

Developing Brussels' dialogue in a nontransparent way, without accountability and individual, and as it has gone without preparation, has damaged the tradition of consensus built in the past. That's why we have these problems. But the important thing is that now everyone has realized that without a broad consensus on national topics, Kosovo cannot win, Kosovo can be damaged and cannot be reached without a broad consensus. I believe that these difficulties we are facing consensus is the result of what happened from 2011 to now, due to distrust, credibility, bad deals, nontransparence.

Now is the time to seriously reduce all political factors. The important thing is that all are for dialogue and gradually rebuild the national consensus on national topics.

REL: Do you think the opposition should be given a leading role in dialogue?

Fatmir Limaj: Why not? As we love Kosovo, so do the opposition. This is not a position-opposital issue. What I care about is that we all have to take responsibility. One cannot stand by observing and pointing, and one can take responsibility because the topic is not internal, one that will once and for all decide the future and fate of this country.

Therefore, the important thing is that all of us are involved and then must become the group. Anyone who will lead us should not have the leading role of one of the parliamentary groups or the leaders of parliamentary groups. These issues should all be opened up, discussed and discussed on all the variants or ways the political groups see them. Like I said, we produced all kinds of documents. Let's sit down, look at those documents, find a solution or the formula that connects us all. So we're late, really, but I'd say we still have time to do it. The important thing is that we can't rush into a dialogue without getting ready and divided. This cannot happen in Kosovo. We must have all the time needed to build and bring together the entire political spectrum of this country, reflecting the majority of Kosovo citizens. Then we enter with much greater confidence, prepared to be questioned. We're talking about an extremely serious subject.

REL: If we can get to another issue. Opposition parties believe the Haradinaj government does not have sufficient numbers in the Assembly and must leave. That's what they say. How stable is this government?

Fatmir Limaj: It could be an exact hypothesis by the opposition. But you know we have to act here according to the law. This has to be verified and this is the open possibility at any time for political groups that are interested in verifying the majority, whether or not this government has the majority. They can verify this through Parliament. As long as it's not verified, it's a hypothesis and I didn't have to deal with it right now.