Dialogue with Serbia, Rama from Slovenia: Support Kosovo, Liberalise Visas

Rama said it is for dialogue between the two countries, while stressing that Albania stands at the side of Kosovo when it comes to their application for recognition. While acknowledging that there are differences of opinion between Tirana and Pristina, Prime Minister Rama firmly said there are no differences.

“We are much more pro-co-operation and step-by-step construction, taking as an example other countries which managed to produce extraordinary success stories from conflict and bloodshed. There is no such thing as the Albanian and Kosovo authorities, but there are Albanians in Albania and Albanians in Kosovo as state authorities. There are no differences. Of course we have certain differences, what is normal because we are two different states and we fully support Kosovo and Kosovo authorities when it comes to their persistent recognition requirement, but we have a slightly different view of how to achieve it”, Rama said.

The prime minister has stopped at visas, stressing that Kosovo rescuers (EU countries) are holding him hostage by not giving him visas.

On the other hand, as far as Serbia and Kosovo are concerned, I think it is still a great shame that Kosovo citizens cannot move freely without visas, while they did so when they were under a barbarous regime, and their deliverers are holding them hostage, and that is a rather serious and shameful paradox of our times. As for dialogue between them, I mean between Kosovo and Serbia, I am convinced that it is not worth wasting so much time, so much energy, rather than sit down and solve problems as they finally sat down”, the prime minister added.

Part of Rama's interview

The satisfaction is not a word we can use, but yes, of course, we are pleased that finally this stalemate came to an end and that Albania and North Macedonia are also already launching the formal process of membership talks.

Do you think that, after the decision of Kosovo and Serbia to lower weapons due to last July's tensions, the membership process and with today's signals from German Chancellor Scholz will be accelerated?

I'm not really sure that there will be a acceleration, in general because of geopolitical reasons, but I want to hope that because of geopolitical reasons, the new European political community proposed by Macron and expounded by Charles Michel, which we are working on together with the Dutch government, and I with Prime Minister Rutte will accelerate. It's a very important idea with a lot of potential.

On the other hand, as far as Serbia and Kosovo are concerned, I think it is still a great shame that Kosovo citizens cannot move freely without visas, while they did so when they were under a barbarous regime, and their deliverers are holding them hostage, and that is a rather serious and shameful paradox of our times. As for dialogue between them, I mean between Kosovo and Serbia, I am convinced that it is not worth losing so much time, so much energy, instead of sitting down and solving problems as they finally sat down.

Is there a growing disagreement between Albania's authority and Kosovo as far as relations with Belgrade are concerned?

There is no such thing as the Albanian and Kosovo authorities, but there are Albanians in Albania and Albanians in Kosovo as state authorities. There are no differences. Of course, we have certain differences, what is normal because we are two different states and we fully support Kosovo and Kosovo authorities when it comes to their persistent recognition requirement, but we have a slightly different view of how to achieve it. We are much more pro-co-operation and construction step by step, taking as an example other countries which managed to produce extraordinary success stories from conflict and bloodshed. Thank you. /Gazza Express/