Haradinaj: Serbia is glutttony, error if Kurti and Osmani remove tax

Reacting to the formation of Kosovo's new government, former Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, invited to the Voice of America studio, said this is good news for Kosovo. He said the government expects it with full challenges, and the main one is “to preserve the parameters the government has put ahead of it on national interest themes”. In an interview with colleague Ilir Ikonomi, Mr. Haradinaj spoke on the 100 per cent tax issue to Serbian goods, and said the tax should not be lifted but connected with recognition, not reciprocity. Mr Haradinaj is in the US to attend two security affairs forums, as well as a meeting at the State Department.

Voice of America: We just heard the reactions (of analysts), Mr Haradinaj. There was widespread criticism of you. In fact, what do you expect, what are your expectations from the new government?

Ramush Haradinaj: It's a little bit of a servilism when a government starts. Most of them begin to seduce or offer to that government. And I found some of that kind of discussion. But our democracy truly deserves great respect. We made the best possible elections in the region and Kosovo than ever before. The election outcome was implemented yesterday. So, we have the new government. It's good news for Kosovo. They look forward to the new government with challenges. The main challenge is to preserve the parameters a government has put ahead of it on national interest themes, the government I have had the honour of leading.

Voice of America: Among the most difficult jobs awaiting the new government, of course, is the process of talks with Serbia that was suspended because of the tariffs that were imposed by you in November 2018. Ambassador Green said today that the new government must immediately lift the tariffs and that at meetings it has had with party leaders, they have all agreed without exception to waivers. Prime Minister Kurti said yesterday in parliament that he will impose full reciprocity measures with Serbia, as he called them. Does this mean replacing tariffs with these reciprocity measures?

Ramush Haradinaj: The first one, no dialogue has ceased because of the fee, or taxes on Serbia. Serbia has maintained a double approach and has sat at the table with the idea to lure us to the partition of Kosovo. While at the same time, it has continued intensively to weaken Kosovo in the international plan, thus attacking it. At the same time, he also threatens us with our internal plan. Tarifa has been a safeguard against Serbia's aggressive actions that have jeopardised Kosovo's territorial integrity as well. Fortunately, Kosovo is much stronger today. He has his own army. It has a consolidated security system and has order and law throughout the country. It is a mistake to offer Mr. Kurti and Mrs. Osman to remove the tax, because Serbia is gluttonous. He's not going to bother with this. So when we remove that tax, it's not that Serbia will return it with a good gesture. He'll keep looking. And when we get to the peak moment that both President Trump and Ambassador Greenell are hoping to help us get a mutual recognition agreement this year on Kosovo-Serbia binding legal recognition, Serbia will require something else. I asked them not to make that mistake. Not to remove the tax, but to link the tax with recognition, not reciprocity. It's their reciprocity logic mistake.

Voice of America: Is that a lower rate?

Ramush Haradinaj: No. It's wrong. These guys are going with the wrong formula. They made the wrong offer. It is better to withdraw from what they have offered to foreign parties. It was really unnecessary.

Voice of America: Mr. Haradinaj, as it is known, marked a greater commitment of the United States in favour of the process of normalising relations with Serbia, with the agreement for Pristina airline Belgrade and opening discussions on the railway line. In your opinion, how important are these steps?

Ramush Haradinaj: They're useful. They're right. We have a very large circulation through Serbia, because all Kosovo citizens when they go to Europe don't have many alternative routes. So if they come from Albania, there is no landway. But they have to get on the ferry and so on.

Voice of America: Okay, but for the normalization process, I mean...

Ramush Haradinaj: So we have great interest. They're subjects of interest. They help. They will not change the political decision. So they can offer a certain political decision. What I wanted to call on Ambassador Green, in this case, is that the energy he has on these economic subjects adds to the political aspect. So it is not impossible to prepare a contract for Kosovo-Serbia recognition. America has recognised Kosovo. He didn't put conditions on us. We have no reason to accept the condition of recognition from any country. So if America has known us the way we are, we expect Serbia to do that. Even for America it's much easier to seek recognition of Serbia for Kosovo, because America has known us.

Voice of America: Mr Haradinaj, your resistance to suspend, or lift the tariffs sparked some sort of concern, caused many concerns about Kosovo's relations with Western allies. We've always discussed this subject. Do you think these relationships have really been affected?

Ramush Haradinaj: Never has Kosovo had better relations, for example. With America. We like that. We work on bilateral road security plans. Even today it was mentioned that Kosovo alone has no Chinese, Russian investments, so it is not endangered; that Huawe's bids have not been accepted. We're from unique places in the world. So the Kosovo-American relationship is special. She grew up. A lot of security co-operation has intensified. There's cooperation in the economic plan. There is cooperation in other plans. Never better.

Voice of America: The elections in Kosovo followed your resignation after your call to The Hague, as it is known. But, for some observers, was your insistence on not removing the tariffs that deteriorated relations with government partners and led to your resignation? Do you agree with this version of events?

Ramush Haradinaj: It is of great importance that Kosovo has hampered the discussion or debate over the division of itself. It's a war proclamation. It's aggression. Whosoever shall speak of the division of my land, in the matter, and whosoever shall mention it unto me, he shall make war upon my land. This is over. We've been through some other subjects. Are we vulnerable, are we blackmailed? Can anyone take Kosovo by force? It is impossible to deal with Kosovo. You can respect Kosovo, you can invite it as a party; it can turn into a respectable party. But a tendency that existed from Brussels, to treat us as uneven in the region, I think has passed. The official Washington has never had this tendency. Official Washington has dealt with Kosovo with the highest respect by recognising it. But, in the EU because of its non-recognition of fives, it has been a derogatory and discriminating approach to Kosovo-Serbia.