Prime Minister Hoti's full speech at the virtual Paris Summit

Hoti, directed by Macron and Merkel, has unveiled the main principles on which the dialogue for normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia would develop. Below are Prime Minister Hoti's full speech at the Paris Virtual Summit, which included Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq and EU representatives Josep Borrell and Miroslav Lajcak.

Dear President Macro,
Dear Chancellor Merkel,
Dear High Representative Borrell,
Dear EU Special Representative Lajcak,
Honored President Vuciq of Serbia,

With great pleasure I have accepted the invitation to participate in this magnificent summit, which shows the commitment of the European Union, respectively, your countries to support the Western Balkan countries towards European integration.

This integration can only be achieved through promoting democracy, strengthening the rule of law and establishing a lasting peace and good neighbourly relations between our countries on all fronts.

Please let me underline that the Republic of Kosovo remains strongly committed to strengthening democratic institutions and ensuring the EU integration path.

Support for, and preservation of the independence of law enforcement institutions, is at the head of my government's commitment.

Support and advice from the EU and EULEX are widely praised for our institutions.

We are committed to maintaining good records of criteria that are important to fully trust EU countries on our commitment to advancing the rule of law. It is in this line that we kindly seek to examine our visa liberalisation application. We will work hard to advance our country's EU integration status to the potential candidate country.

Kosovo, along with other countries in the region, has been hit hard by Covid-19.

Let me thank you for the support you have given to the people of Kosovo to cope with this emergency situation through EU institutions, as well as directly through your governments.

We're doing everything we can to sustain the spread of the virus as well as to support the economy through a comprehensive list of economic recovery measures.

In this respect, we welcome the EU's initiative to support Western Balkan countries through large-scale joint projects that help overcome the economic crisis and ensure better and closer economic ties between countries of this region

Mr. President, Miss Chancellor, Mr. President. Borell,

In line with my country's firm commitment to regional peace and good neighbourly relations through regional co-operation, we today have excellent relations and close co-operation with our first neighbours, Northern Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro in all areas of mutual interest, including the free movement of people and goods, and a wide range of regional partnerships.

For Kosovo, neighbouring relations with Serbia continue to remain an issue of concern.

We have begun the dialogue process in 2011 mediated by Brussels. We've reached a number of agreements. Those that have been implemented have improved people's lives in both countries.

Since the beginning of the dialogue in 2011, Serbia has continued to launch campaigns against Kosovo membership in international organisations and by lobbiing against the recognition of the Republic of Kosovo by other states. Such harmful practices damaged the process of normalising our relations as two independent countries.

During the course of dialogue, Serbia did not show real goals for normalising relations between the two countries. Rather, it has extended the process to “buy time” and continue its campaigns against Kosovo's sovereignty.

Such practices followed by Serbia have led to a responsible move by Kosovo, as did the previous government's decision to impose the 100% fee on Serbian goods.

However, we remain committed to a peaceful process of normalising our relations, which can only be achieved if Kosovo and Serbia respect each other's citizenship.

Since the beginning, Kosovo's newly elected government has shown a literal will by throwing all tariff barriers to goods from Serbia, primarily to give a chance of dialogue, and to reach a final binding agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, which must mutually conclude recognition between the two countries.

We believe that dialogue has no alternative. We are willing and committed to engage in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue equally.

But we firmly believe that dialogue should follow a clear timetable and framework of fundamental values and principles that should be respected, in line with the European perspective of the two countries.

We believe that the success of this basic process should be guided by the following principles:

1. The territorial integrity of the Republic of Kosovo is non-negotiable, as it is the main guarantee on which the Republic of Kosovo is founded and stands firm. Violet will violate this principle goes against basic EU principles and values. As such, it is unacceptable.

2. The constitutional organisation of the Republic of Kosovo cannot be affected, as it guarantees the democratic functioning of authorities, equality in representation and embodys the principle of the civic state, rather than organised along ethnic lines. Therefore, intervention in the unitary character of the Republic of Kosovo would be the shortest way to defunct the state of Kosovo and declare it unstable. That can't happen.

3. The agreement with Serbia should be fully in accordance with the Constitution of Kosovo, as it is the only mode to grant legitimacy to such an agreement.

Targets

Based on these principles, Kosovo will engage in dialogue with clear objectives, based on which the agreement should be reached:

1. The comprehensive Peace Agreement between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Serbia must result in mutual recognition. Without such an outcome of this process, the agreement cannot succeed. Bilateral recognition between the two countries is the only way to normalise relations and pave the way for the two countries for EU integration.

2. The result of this agreement should also be the EU's obligation to include recognition of Kosovo by the remaining five EU nations.

3. Kosovo's membership in the UN should also be part of the result of the comprehensive peace agreement between Kosovo and Serbia. This naturally means replacing UN Security Resolution 1244.

4. Following membership in other international organisations and clearly opening the European perspective for Kosovo is our objective and our appeal along with this process.

5. And last, but not by the importance of missing persons and victims of all forms of violence, damage to war, victims, are the issue of our utmost concern in this process. No normalisation can be done before the establishment of justice.

Based on these principles and objectives, the Republic of Kosovo is ready to be a constructive and co-operative partner in the dialogue, reaching a comprehensive and legally binding agreement.

Thank you for your attention.