Kurti: We live without knowing Serbia, we pay for it

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has said that Kosovo can continue to function without recognition from Serbia and that the government he leads refuses to pay neither with territory nor with the functioning of the state to gain that recognition.

In an interview for “Europeasterbalcans”, Kurti has said that, however, it would be good for Serbia to recognise Kosovo.

“Of course I would prefer Serbia to recognise Kosovo, but if it does not, we should live without that recognition. I am not planning to replace past Kosovo dependence on Serbia with the new dependence on Kosovo by recognising Serbia for our independent state. For 13 years now, we have lived without recognition from Serbia. It would be nice to know us, but we will not pay for this, neither with territory nor with the functionalness of our country. Kosovo is independent. It has been recognised by 26 of the 30 NATO states, 22 of the 27 EU member states. Russia and China did not, but the US, France and Great Britain on the Security Council did. We have to move forward”, he said.

Kurti has also spoken of Kosovo's refusal to be part of the Mini-Schengen regional initiative. According to him, there is no logic to continue with this initiative when from the Berlin Process it is already the Common Regional Market and still no recognition from Serbia.

For the Washington Agreement, Kurti has praised the starting point of Israel's recognition, while problematicly he has seen the horror of Kosovo seeking admission to international organisations and recognition of states.

His government has named it the best ever in Kosovo.

“We are strengthening the state of Kosovo. Kosovo is becoming a success story. And the old strategy of the salama... what gives me for recognition will never happen... will work”, he added.