Ahmeti: Thaci asks resolution on joining the Valley to be part of platform

The negotiating team's co-chairman for dialogue with Serbia, Shpend Ahmeti, has confirmed that Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has asked the team to introduce the resolution on joining Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanoc with Kosovo on the platform for dialogue.

Ahmeti said this resolution has not been accepted to be part of the dialogue document, as the platform is based on the Constitution of Kosovo.

President Thaci has stated yesterday that the Kosovo Assembly will propose a draft resolution for uniting the Valley with Kosovo.

The dialogue team's co-chairman said he does not know why in this period a demand comes that such a resolution be voted in the Kosovo Assembly, but as he puts it, political subjects are left to decide in that direction.

We haven't seen it yet, we haven't discussed it, it's difficult for any Albanian political subject that will say no to any request of the Albanian citizens of Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanoc, because we know what conditions they've been living in, but the question is if this is passed now, what is the message being sent, and I'm saying once again we expect to see the proposal concrete by the president. I'm telling you, he mentioned it at the meeting and asked to get on the platform. We told him that he didn't get into the platform, because it's based on the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo, and since he's not in the platform he then has the right to submit to the Assembly”, Ahmeti said.

Asked about President Thaci's statements that the idea for reforming borders has been taken by former president Ibrahim Rugova, the head of the border The PSD said that this idea was never formally mentioned by EU mediators, but believes it is Serbia's request.

I think it's clear that it's Serbia's request, but I'm saying it officially at the meetings never been mentioned by the mediators in Brussels, nor have we heard that Serbia has it, what we're hearing are assumptions, partial discussions no one knows what they're going to say, demarcating them are completely different concepts. So 100 themes are being used on a topic that some people know but not all“, said the first PSD.

Ahmeti said he doesn't know when the hearings will be held to vote on the dialogue platform, but they as a team are ready for next week to move to the Assembly.

I don't know, it's a matter of the Parliament, we delivered it to the Speaker of the Parliament. We've asked for this to be maintained as soon as possible, so our wish that next week we would cross this platform, because I think it cements or vows the official position of the state of Kosovo, but also what it expects and what are the” themes, he said.

Asked whether the meeting has been held by Foreign Affairs Minister Behgjet Pacolli, where it will be discussed about the tax, Ahmeti said they will no longer be part of the meetings discussed on the tax, until it is the decision of the Government of Kosovo, part of which is not the party he leads.

No, I've said many times I'm in tax meetings not going because I'm not a member of the government or a coalition member. The tax is a government decision. What's happening to me, I've said separate about this direction weakens our position a lot, we can't ask the international community to ask Serbia to sit at the table unconditionally when a member of the government says, "Take it off," and one says keep it. So they too are knowing that there are separate attitudes on this matter. I haven't been to that” meeting, Ahmeti said.

During yesterday's day, President Thaci, who since last year's summer constantly urges correction of the border with Serbia, has said the idea of correction has been first taken by historic President Ibrahim Rugova, followed by academic Nexhat Daci and Gjilan chairman Lutfi Haziri. Thaci has said Serbia claims partition, but that his idea is only the Valley's association with Kosovo.