Limaj tells Serbs: Time to recognise Kosovo independence

Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Fatmir Limaj has given a long interview for Serbian media.

In this interview, the Kosovo government's number two has talked about dialogue with Serbia, the 100% tax, the Special Court and other topics.

He has also talked about the reasons the Albanians led to the formation of KLA and Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq. Limaj has said it is time for Serbia to recognise Kosovo's independence. Limaj, who has been voted by the Kosovo Assembly as co-director of the State Delegation for Talks with Serbia, has said that in the final phase of the dialogue, a final agreement with Serbia is expected to be reached.

In this interview for Serbian media, the chairman of the Social Democrat Initiative has said that Kosovo is an independent state, recognised and accepted by more than 100 countries around Serbia. According to Limaj, it is time for Serbia to co-exist with this reality.

The “for all is known what dialogue with Serbia means for Kosovo, and what is the goal of Kosovo and what I said even higher. Reaching a comprehensive commitment agreement for the parties leading to mutual recognition, Kosovo's membership in the UN, and this is the official position of the Republic of Kosovo. Of course, in that comprehensive agreement, there will be specific topics Kosovo will raise, as can Belgrade. On the other hand, we have yet to see any official documents or proposals from Belgrade as you see the final agreement”, Limaj has said about HINAExpress.netOh.

As far as the tax is concerned 100%, Limaj has said it has come as a result of the Serb state's aggressive behaviour towards Kosovo. The tax has come unfortunately as a result of aggressive behaviour to the Serb state's hostile borders in Kosovo. Kosovo has for years tolerated aggressive behaviour and obstacles Serbia has made to the state of Kosovo, Kosovo business and its citizens. Serbia has consistently prevented free circulation of goods and people from Kosovo in Serbia's direction. It has imposed various bureaucratic barriers, non-tariff barriers, not knowing and accepting documentation issued by our state administration, improvised various kinds of administrative barriers to Kosovo's free business movement in Serbia and the free circulation of citizens.

Add here and here Belgrade's stumbling and aggressive behaviour at various international forums have brought to a point Kosovo has been forced to react to self-defense. What another reaction you can expect from an unrecognizable state, working against it, comes goods in contempt of its constitutional appointment, does not respect any law of that state, and on the other hand, ask that your commercial or economic interests not be affected.

So far, Kosovo-Serbia relations have only been unilateral in Serbia's interest. This is no longer the case. We are about co-operation relations as we have witnessed in the past, but with mutual respect and reciprocity. In normal situations setting the fee is absurd and contrary to our vision of free economics and unhindered circulation of goods and people, but as I put it above, it is clear that Kosovo- Serbia is abnormal and to return to normal situation, we expect changing Serbia's behaviour.