Ericksen: We have supported Kosovo with 7m euros, for your country's integration, parties to work together more

Minister of Foreign Affairs Behgjet Pacolli during the meeting he held with Norway's Foreign Affairs Minister, Anne Ericksen Sevoreide, expressed that dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia has no alternative and that normalisation can only happen by being treated as two sovereign and equal countries.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Behgjet Pacolli has expressed gratitude to the Norwegian state for supporting Kosovo on its Euro-Atlantic road and statehood, said Norway remains a friend state of Kosovars.

Kosovo's deputy prime minister and his Norwegian counterpart have also discussed dialogue with Serbia, as well as expressing the indignation of the people of Kosovo over the European Union for non-liberalisation of visas.

Regarding dialogue with Serbia, Kosovo Foreign Affairs Minister said Kosovo will continue dialogue with the Serbian state, but only by being equal as two sovereign states.

“Dialog between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Serbia has no alternative and only equally two sovereign and with mutual respect, we can normalise relations between us. We will never stop to dialogue to achieve goals, the goal is peace, free movement of people, ideas, capital, goods. I strongly believe in Norway and its support in the integration process for my country and the consolidation of my country internationally”, the first Kosovo deputy prime minister said.

As far as visa liberalisation is concerned, Pacolli said this issue has already gone to the political level, as Kosovo technically has met all the required conditions in terms of free movement.

“I have talked about meeting all the conditions set by the European Union and visa liberalisation I have to give a lot of what in this direction, in terms of stabilising association the document signed with the European Union we've made big steps, but even somewhere we're stuck, we've been caught in proving the promises of the European Community in terms of visa liberalisation for Kosovo citizens, and this issue hinders the prospect of Kosovo, prevents our region and our will to be always part of the family ...95 criteria that have been imposed on Kosovo are being fulfilled and today this problem passes to the political level, not the post-technical pattern.

As for Norway's Foreign Affairs Minister, Ine Ericksen Séreide, said the Norwegian state supports Kosovo's Euro-Atlantic integration, while offering support for development in every area.

According to her, this integration takes a long time and powerful leadership, as well as greater co-ordination among political parties.

Kosovo is supported by 7 million and a key priority are rule of law, good governance and the dialogue process with Serbia and co-operation in economic and regional development. We welcome regional co-operation in the Western Balkans and try to support it as much as possible. We have also talked about something that has to do with additional tariffs and we have also talked about the spectrum of investments in Kosovo, and I think it's a very good chance that sometimes it happens but also we need to have free trade in Kosovo“, the Norwegian minister said.

Within the framework of this visit to Kosovo, Norway's Foreign Affairs Minister, Anne Ericksen Séreide has also met with Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj.