Kurt publishes the letter to Lajcak: Forms the negotiating team, he No.1, President Thaci No.2

The outgoing prime minister's office, Albin Kurti, has published the letter the first government has sent to the EU's special envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak.

Meanwhile, this office has also published the answer, through which Lajcak has stressed his consent to meet Kurt personally, broadcasts KOHA.

The prime minister's full letter in office, Albin Kurti:

S.T. Miroslav Lajcak

Special Representative of the European Union

Your Honor,

We congratulate you on your appointment as Special Representative of the European Union for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, and as a special envoy for the Western Balkan region. We want you to succeed in your new position as well as in carrying out the important tasks that are assigned to you.

Initially, I want to inform you of the situation with COVID-19 disease in the Republic of Kosovo. The government has so far managed the situation well. Our institutions have successfully restrained its spread by taking appropriate and necessary measures even before the first cases were recorded. In order to control the virus more effectively, we have declared a state of emergency public health. Until today, we have 125 cases of Coronavirus, of which 10 have completely healed, and one of them has passed away.

The government of the Republic of Kosovo is committed to dialogue with Serbia, and to reach a final, comprehensive and legally binding agreement between our two countries. In the spirit of this, I want to use this opportunity to reconfirm our commitment to the beginning of dialogue and inform you of our guiding principles.

As the incumbent government of the Republic of Kosovo, we are committed to developing a continuous and continuous process of dialogue. We consider that both sides should work intensively to reach a final agreement on all disputes between Kosovo and Serbia. In order for this process to be comprehensive and depleting, the two countries must agree to bring to the negotiating table all outstanding issues of their bilateral relations. This is a prerequisite for dialogue to have successful results.

The sides must ensure that in any circumstances or situation the issue of mutual sovereignty, territorial integrity, and internal affairs will not be discussed. We do not need either a dialogue involving maps on the table or a process that leads to redefining borders. This is of crucial importance.

Dialogue must be mediated by the European Union and the United States of America. After that, the final agreement should be accompanied by a guarantee by the European Union and the United States, tasking mutual and full implementation of the agreement.

The agreement should be accompanied by a package of political, economic and financial measures that would accelerate the convergence of the standard of living in both countries, as well as their integration into the European Union.

As prime minister, I am obliged according to the Constitution to establish and lead the negotiating team. So my plan is to create a comprehensive and balanced gender-based team. The team's composition will be like the following:

1. Albin Kurti prime minister and chairman of the negotiating team

2. Hashim Thaci President, member

3. Vjosa Osmani ʹ Speaker of the Parliament, member

4. LVV representative member

5. LDK representative, member

6. Representative PDK member

7. AAK representative- PSD member

8. Representative NISMA-AKR, member

9. Serbian List Representative, Member

10. Group 6+ representative, member

Technical teams will be appointed as soon as the list of issues that must be addressed, and once it is agreed jointly on the political level. I am currently in the process of planning, creating a team of our best professionals and experts from the academy and civil society, who would prepare and develop dialogues for specific areas and issues.

In particular, we should remember that people of both countries should be the final beneficiaries of this dialogue, unlike the past, where the goal of the negotiating process was to preserve face or preserve the reputation of politicians and state leaders. During dialogue, we aim to maximize the benefits this will bring to people. Hence, it must be based on the principle of establishing justice and equality for all. Avoiding this as a natural result of dialogue would endanger the process itself.

The European Union, as a peace and social welfare project, has not lost its historical currentity and importance. Taking into account current political and historical forecasts, the European Union becomes a must. Its two fundamental pillars remain our ideals: peace involving anti-fascist warfare and progress built through the welfare of the state. The European Union, as a political and social project of peace and progress, must be protected and preserved.

My government and I, we are determined in our belief that the only future for our country is its full integration into the European Union. While Western Balkan integration as a whole region into the European Union, at once for all countries, would be of great benefit not only to us but also to the European Union itself.

Honestly,

) Albin Kurti

Lajcak's letter

Acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo

European Union Special Representative for Dialogue and Other Regional Affairs of the Western Balkans Miroslav Lajcak

Dear Prime Minister Kurti,

Thank you for the letter sent on the date 03.04.2020, wishing me to take office as the European Union's Special Representative for the Pristina-Belgrade Dialogue and other regional issues of the Western Balkans.

I am very encouraged after reading in your letter that Kosovo is committed to normalising relations and the dialogue process, and is willing to work towards a comprehensive and legally binding agreement.

My appointment signals a return to EU engagement in dialogue. My goal is to work continuously and dynamicly to move forward in the dialogue process, and I expect Pristina and Belgrade to return their commitment with the same determination. As you have noted, this is important for the benefit of both peoples. I am convinced that if there is genuine political will on both sides, and through dialogue, we will be able to achieve the results that each of us intends for the benefit of the people in Kosovo and Serbia. I, your decision to lift the fee, see it as the first concrete sign of your will to resume the EU-launched Dialogue.

These days are difficult for all of us in Europe, as we are facing challenges not experienced before, in our public health, society and economy. I would like to congratulate you, and your administration, on your efforts in fighting the pandemic of the Coronervirus so far. I also want to assure you that the EU stands alongside Kosovo and its people in the fight against this pandemic. Our immediate financial assistance of 5 million Euros to meet the most urgent needs in fighting the Coronavirus is only the beginning of our support for Kosovo. In this regard, I gladly express that past dialogue agreements have proved useful to help address the coronary crisis.

Regional co-operation in these challenging periods, especially when it comes to the unhindered movement of goods, is essential to maintaining pandemic control. Also in this context, I would like to repeat EU welcome for the decision to lift tariffs for imports from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

It is my pleasure to see your trust in the European Union ideals, their importance and their belonging to Kosovo. Let me assure you that for the European Union and its member states it is of very high importance to help our Western Balkan neighbours on their European path. Kosovo shares the European perspective of the Western Balkans, and I believe that with our work on dialogue and progress on comprehensive normalisation of relations, we will enable further progress on your European path.

Given the circumstances of the COVID-19 virus, I will have to adjust my plans to start my work; I would like to meet you personally in the days ahead and trade thoughts on the road ahead. This will not be possible in the near future; however, this situation will not stop me from engaging.

I will contact you and the political leadership in Kosovo, so that we can start what I hope will be a good and productive exchange and co-operation between us. In the meantime, I would encourage you to use this period of coronary restrictions so that you can continue to reflect and prepare for restarting the process.

Honestly yours,

Miroslav Lajcak