Limaj: The tax should be lifted when the reasons stop

So says in an interview for Radio Free Europe, Fatmir Limaj candidate for prime minister from the Social Democrat Initiative coalition, the New Kosovo Alliance and the Justice Party.

Limaj says that if the prime minister is elected among his top priorities will be dialogue with Serbia, foreign policy and investment in agriculture. While, according to him, the customs tax on Serbia should be lifted only when the reasons are stopped.

Radio Free Europe: Mr Limaj, you are the candidate of the Social Democrat Initiative coalition, the New Kosovo Alliance and the Justice Party for the prime minister's position in elections to be held on 6 October. Why should citizens vote you for prime minister?

Fatmir Limaj: I believe that the country's prime minister, as our constitutional system sees, must have a personality that has experience, is competent, politically mature. A man who knows how to build bridges of position and opposition co-operation, considering the topics that await us in the future government.

It is very important to have a reformist prime minister who identifies problems and deals with problems in partnership both with position and opposition. As I said, above all, we need a competent prime minister willing to face challenges. Some of the topics that have been the main theme of this country treat them properly, not presumptuously, but also in close cooperation with opposition forces.

Radio Free Europe: What are the top priorities that you learn to do as nominated for the prime minister's post?

Fatmir Limaj: Dialogue, foreign policy, agriculture, continuation of the simulation of small and medium-sized enterprises, diasporas and reforms in justice, are some of the topics or I would say, with these five of my priorities that I believe should strongly introduce this government to the next mandate.

Radio Free Europe: If you are going to be part of the next government, are you willing to suspend the tax on imports from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, if presented as a condition for continuing dialogue?

Fatmir Limaj: Our attitude is what it has always been. The tax should be lifted when tax reasons are laid off. I believe there are some economic and political reasons Serbia must meet to enable the return of a kind of normal functioning between our two countries, and this would open up the possibility of unlocking dialogue, which we would hope will lead us to a comprehensive final agreement, which within it has the recognition of Kosovo by Serbia and Kosovo's membership in the UN and other international mechanisms.

Radio Free Europe: When you talk about recognising Kosovo from Serbia, how much do you think this is possible?

Fatmir Limaj: I believe Kosovo should demonstrate all its seriousness in this dialogue. Kosovo must build a broad consensus within political forces. Kosovo must demonstrate with our international partners the will and interest, the need to have this agreement.

I believe it is also in Serbia's interest that as soon as we close these issues. The time has come for Kosovo and Serbia to begin and look at building neighbourhoods between our two countries, closing open topics, as preconditions to open a perspective, both our countries, and the region in European integrations, in attracting investments, in economic development, or in order to say that our two countries return to solving the problems and so many that we have within our countries.

A Kosovo-Serbia agreement is an extraordinary agreement, not only for the region, but for Europe. So eventually even in this part of Europe, open conflicts that have characterized us for not decades, perhaps centuries.

Radio Free Europe: One of the government's first jobs will be dialogue with Serbia. Will it be negotiated for Kosovo's borders?

Fatmir Limaj: What we go to negotiate is the recognition of Kosovo and construction of the neighbourhood. There is no other Kosovo topic with Serbia.

Look, with Serbia we negotiated in two-three stages. With Rambouille, to decide between war and peace, then we negotiated Kosovo's status in Vienna. We are now in a position where mutual recognition and neighbourly construction should be negotiated with Serbia. That's the topic that we will engage like Kosovo.

Radio Free Europe: Which party or coalition are you willing to co-operate with after the elections?

Fatmir Limaj: First it will depend heavily on the will, how the will of Kosovo citizens will be expressed. And secondly, we have several points that if we have an offer from any party, we have several points that are needed as preconditions to build a partnership.

There are four points I talked about, which are preconditions that can build a serious partnership with other (political) forces. One of them is your question about how we will approach dialogue with Serbia.

Radio Free Europe: In various reports Kosovo has been named a country suffering from crime and corruption. You have vowed to fight these phenomena, but how will you do so?

Fatmir Limaj: I think that currently in Kosovo, I don't believe there is anyone more competent in fighting this issue or, rather, to introduce a reform. I am a follower of her and my goal is to remain in people's memory as a kind of reform prime minister, who makes profound reforms.

Kosovo's state system needs a deep, comprehensive reform, not only in this phenomenon. Kosovo has so far built institutions that have passed the emergency part. The transition has extended us, time is for the beginning of the consolidation of our country.

And with four points that I'm talking about, with deep reforms in this direction, I believe we would have put the development or consolidation of the state of Kosovo in proper order. Besides will, competence is needed on this subject.

Besides competence, you need another example of fighting for justice. I believe that I am an example that I have been attached to this system and I know it, I feel what injustice means and I know how much it takes for Kosovo citizens to rule justice and judicial security in every corner of the Republic of Kosovo and for every citizen of Kosovo.

Radio Free Europe: When we talk about corruption and organised crime, do you consider this to be the worst possible disease Kosovo has ever captured?

Fatmir Limaj: I believe that Kosovo has a disease of its own in this phase, as I said the transition from transition to a consolidated state, and this phenomenon is one of those diseases that plague Kosovo and has complicated and prolonged the transition. It has made state consolidation difficult and harder to strengthen functional institutions.

Radio Free Europe: And for the end, what are your expectations of this election process?

Fatmir Limaj: The important thing is that people are able once again to express the will of direction through their vote. We have expectations and believe that if the offers are assessed by citizens, we expect a surprise in this election.