Minxhozi: It is not in Vuciqi's desire to recognise or not to recognise Kosovo

Minxhozi in an interview for Kosovo Press, also talks about visa liberalisation, Kosovo economic co-operation -- Albania during the pandemic -- as well as the Balkan mini-mark.

According to him, Serbia's recognition of the state of Kosovo is a matter of time.

“The question of dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia is a vital question of development, of progress, not only of Serbia and Kosovo, but of the whole region. Therefore, she cannot be a hostage to a political party, anyone she is. It is something that concerns the future of the peoples of Kosovo and Serbia, but also of the region. The resolution of a stalemate between Kosovo and Serbia paves the way for an efficient multilatural regional development”, he says.

Three governments were changed the following year, which, according to Minxhozi, reflects on the question of dialogue with Serbia.

When asked about Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq's statements, that he will not recognise Kosovo's independence as he is at the head of the Serbian state, the Albanian ambassador says this issue is not in Vuciqi's will.

The “will not enter to assess the leadership's statements, but what we have to say is that Kosovo has a status that it has gained here and 20 years ago and history will not be able to turn against. I don't know him in the will of a leader or I don't know him. Kosovo has a new reality and the reality between Kosovo and Serbia has changed. The issue of recognition is a problem of time and it is impossible to hold Kosovo's non-recognition hostage. The point is that the political leaders' conversation should be on another level, how to view the possibility of reducing these tensions, to implement certain projects, some things that have to do with extending the situation, especially in the area of the economy. Serbia is favoured in Kosovo with the exports they made here, so even in its interest Serbia is that relations with Kosovo are good and stable, as Kosovo needs to be”, he says.

He also talks about the Balkan mini-mark, for which he stresses that without a combination of regional interests, no Balkan country can move forward, as this is also the European Union motto.

Regional co-operation is very, very important. It is a collaboration that we are small countries, we all countries in the Western Balkans are the size of a big city in America or somewhere in Europe. And, we're producing a lot of problems in each other. The point is that we need to start to create clear concepts that a single country is unable to develop if there is no normal, bilateral, economic relationship with neighboring countries... We can't develop the economy in a closed way because it's impossible, we're in a free society, we're in a free market of values, we have free exchanges and these have to be retired, but first of all, they have to be retired from different political views, and then to let experts see what are the areas where we can co-operate. This is very, very important regardless of names... Without a combination of regional interests, no Balkan country can move forward because it is the European Union's motto”, he says.

Albanian diplomat estimates that Kosovo has met all conditions for free movement, while adding that our country is in the same parameters as other countries in achievements for visa liberalisation.

Kosovo has met the terms. They've been fulfilled over time. If we make the same meter for the achievements Kosovo has had in the area of liberalising citizens' movement with other countries, Kosovo is in those parameters. And, I think this is a process that Kosovo has achieved in the first place to respond correctly, to respond professionally to all tasks the EU has said. Of course, national problems enter here, the problems of the political situation in various EU countries, is a problem that has not been properly passed on to a political level, that Kosovo also has the right to liberalise visas, free movement, it is not good to create a silhouette between the Balkans, for a country that has sacrificed with war, with efforts to give free access to different EU destinations, which would then give a new dimension to political developments, other political developments, in Kosovo, which is part of this region as well as the EU 1126th ambassador stresses.

The following year was challenging for the entire globe. And here, of course, neither Kosovo nor Albania were left unmoved.

Compared to 2019, during 2020, Kosovo and Albania exchanged close to 50m euros less.

That it was a difficult year for the countries, Ambassador Kemal Minxhozi says. While adding that the most hit sector was tourism.

The “has been a difficult year for Kosovo and Albania's economies themselves because there is a fall in production as a result of the situation created since February of this year, when it was the first steps of the pandemic, we were dealing with a year that had been working for two months, and the next nine months have been very limited. This has led in addition to basic vital products in both Kosovo and Albania to be fully minimal. Compared to 2019, Albania and Kosovo have exchanged 307m euros in goods, while this figure has dropped where it is some 250-260m euros, it will say is a decline. Still, we have been trying to maintain communication lines for Kosovo that have been very important in terms of transportation that most of the goods for the Kosovo market come from the Durres Port and Durres Port has been operational all the time for Kosovo as well. What is very important is that it has not been bureaucratic obstacles that are sometimes obvious, this year has been a better caution, greater care and less problems in terms of imports and exports”, he says.

The pandemic that prevailed this year also caused the gathering of two governments, held in October, to have more types of information sharing.

The Albanian ambassador says there are many things that need to be adjusted on the basis of laws, so that they can have better adaptability. As he adds that these meetings give an important impulse and incentive in general.