Haradinaj at the Door Spiegel for the Americas reporting tax: We must learn to protect ourselves

In Haradinaj's long interview, published by “Der Spiegel”, Haradinaj has said the situation in the Balkans is tense whenever borders are mentioned, so it should avoid such provocations.

The tax decision has called the Kosovo Government's sovereign decision.

Haradinaj also speaks of reports with the United States until he says Kosovo should be taught to defend itself.

Read fully the article in the magazine “Der Spiegel”:  

ZJ BALLKAN ARRANITY

Twenty years after the NATO intervention, the situation between Serbia and its former province continues to be tense. The republic continues to be a hotbed of crisis.

The former rebel commander while holding the uniform of the manship that stays perfect - in size, dark wardrobe, manchette. Surrounded by courtiers with frightened looks Ramush Haradinaj awaits in Pristina at the Kosovo Government headquarters.

Had it not been for Haradinaj and his companions, the newest Republic of Europe would probably not exist today. Under nickname “Smajl” he was the leader of a part of the KLA rebels at the height of the ethnic Albanian uprising against the Serb invaders in Kosovo. Today he is the head of his government who is searching for a place in Europe.

Twenty years after NATO bombings, with which the violent withdrawal of Yugoslav armed forces was achieved on March 24th 1999, Kosovo continues to be the child of distress in Balllan. The republic, which has not even 2 million people with 90 per cent Albanians in it to this day, is not recognised by 80 states, among them five EU members. This uncertainty is controlling the country. As the single European nation of Kosovars along with citizens of Bellorouria, they need a visa to travel to the Schengen Zone. Every third citizen is unemployed.

Since recently in the Balkans, a discussion has been launched that was now believed to have ended about the extent of borders -- the main Albanian politicians are at odds over whether Belgrade should be given the predominantly Serb part of the north for the price of recognition. The presidents of Serbia and Kosovo have discussed under the supervision of the EU chief for diplomacy Federica Moghrini. Prime Minister Haradinaj rejects these plans. All of these are dangerous evils: “Tragedys in the Balkans have always dealt with borders -- who opens these issues, prepares new tragedies”, he says.

More than 13,000 people have died between February 1998 and June 1999. Haradinaj recognises these horrors of the Kosovo war. Twice the former commander stood alone before The Hague War Crimes Tribunal. There was crime against humanity, murder and violation. In the end, the two times he was released. “I have done what was necessary”, Haradinaj says looking at the time and happens as if he hadn't experienced anything. During the war, but even after that it was how to “survived in a society without laws”. Even today, in the citizens' uniform, Haradinaj is a fighter. With the 100 per cent tax on Serbian products, he is trying to draw Kosovo's recognition from the Government in Belgrade -- and thus is provoking the American defence force against it.

The ambassadors of America are the secret rulers in the country since in 2008 the former autonomous province of Kosovo with the powerful blessing of Madelene Albright began to secede from Serbia. Meanwhile, Donald Trump's man in Pristina is feeling opposition. For the decision to impose tax on Serbian products “fjala is for a sovereign decision by the Kosovo government”, Haradinaj says. That clearly means: Pristina is not a colony of Washington and has the right to retaliate. For Serbia's latest veto against Kosovo's membership in Interpol.

A first step towards release from American defense? Haradinaj says Kosovo should learn to defend itself: “We had no other choice, Serbia was recently very aggressive in opening and generous of us, which from them was viewed as weakness”.

True, American President Donald Trump in two letters addressed to the heads of the United States in Belgrade and Pristina had expressed hope that as soon as I can wait for them at the White House to seal the historic “accord, then a quick solution does not appear on the horizon. Kosovo's long-standing division was not questioned. That sounds different in the meantime. “We don't have red lines anymore... if the two countries reach agreement which envisions even border corrections and citizens will be present for us that's more than fine”, says a senior American official in Pristina. “In extension of major powers” Washington, first of all, intends to push “Kosovo to the West”.

Towards the EU and NATO, it means among other things: away from the realm of Russian influence. And this starts in the northern part of the divided town of Mitrovica on the Iber River and there lies in all those parts of the Balkans where the open issues of the Alliance are open. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, for example. Moscow continues to maintain and assist militarily and with logistics the Serb parts of this republic as the threat.

Kosovo's threat qualis also brings exhibitives to a region where ethnic Albanians are extended to several countries where they live, and only a small border movement can shake the existing balance. This should be added: mass protests that continue for weeks in neighbouring countries Albania, Montenegro and primarily in Serbia included the impatience of Balkan residents who continue to wait in the EU accession hall.

Whoever lights up in Kosovo, in the historic field of the Manhattans where, according to Serbian myths, is the cradle of nation history, then risks a fire that cannot be controlled. And yet: Federica Moghrini and Trump Adviser John Bolton, Serbia's President Aleksandar Vuciq -- all of these are proving that the north of Kosovo leave Serbia, while the Albanian-populated part of the Presevo Valley give Kosovo. Kosovo President Hashim Thaci is also engaged in this -- but he remains beautifully lonely in his country with this effort.

The unwritten rule, but for this well-known agreement to be preserved and not touched by the Yugoslav internal boundaries, this dangerous bias is being questioned. Who could prevent a union of Bosnian Serbs with Belgrade or northern Macedonia Albanians with Tirana?

One going north of Kosovo will see beyond the Ibër Pankarta Bridge in which Russia and Serbia President Vladimir Putin and Aleksandar Vuciq are together and on them is the inscription: “We are brothers- God is with us”. Vows at the address of the peoples are not only part of Serbian folklore but also part of geostrategic calculations.

In Kosovo the tone has been exacerbated: former defence troops can become a regular army of 5,000 soldiers. So far it was NATO that has taken care of security in the country-General Jens Stoltenberg warns of <x0 serious overlapping” in relations with the Alliance.

And Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama is angry about what he calls an EU reception tactic and in the meantime threatens that Kosovo Albanian brothers can take over in the mother state. A first state and a common foreign policy, Rama says, are a serious alternative to EU membership.

Flowable are the borders between the two countries in the meantime. Who travel from Kosovo to Albania sees only superficial checks. Pristina government circles have long spoken of a “Mini Schengen” in the Western Balkans. It would bring even closer Albanians who dwell together compactly. The injustice and suffering experienced along with blood trails drew people across mountains even closer.

But later on at The Hague, the subject for possible war crimes done by the Albanian part has opened up again. It is primarily about whether the army of Albanian KLA rebels is guilty and this affects the political leaders of the state. From January, work has begun- at a court that is of international composition, but for that it is subject to Kosovo justice. Former Prime Minister Haradinaj's associates have been invited to the meanwhile- as being blamed or witnesses, this remains deliberately open.

In the divinely forgotten Tropoja, in the Albanian part, two men near the cemetery, unimaginably show the tomb of a KLA fighter who had given his life at that part of the border whose brother had subsequently been placed near his grave had the heads of two Serb soldiers killed. The pictures show this thrilling ritual.

Government in Pristina is said to have, of course, been investigated if there has been crime from the Albanian side to the war. Still, this is spending your patience on Albanian populations. Since 2008, the UN was investigated, later by the UN War Crimes Tribunal at The Hague and the Elux Mission, and now once again proven to investigate the truth about This is exhausting through a special court.

The burly cycle of Western values confirms the situation, while at the same time suspects as former Commander Hashim Thaci, currently State President and Fatmir Limaj as deputy prime minister, are allowed to negotiate with EU diplomatic chief Moghrin.

“Of course there are people, in the Albanian and Serb part, who for certain cases say: “with that bastard does not negotiate”, says a senior American official in Pristina. The Trump administration wants Kosovo to reach historic solutions equal to the Korea agreement. “We need to walk pre-Sttus Quo in Kosovo is critical -- or we need to improve relations between the two countries or anything can get the River”.

Until the EU is failing to show direction in Kosovo and is not represented jointly by then the path will continue to be drafted in Washington. European goals, the Prime Minister of Kosovo complains, compared to those in the United States of America, are hard to decipher: “When our people in January traveled to Brussels to Moghrini, they had a 30-page draft for resolving the” conflict. And what did the EU negotiator take for granted? “Nothing”, Haradinaj says, “pos cafes and water, however, free of”.