Kosovo identifies 30 Serbia campaign cases for recognition

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmeti denies there is something true in statements by Serbian officials that Kosovo is drawing recognitions of independence.

He says these are absurd reactions coming after the Kosovo state's natural actions to become part of international organisations.

There's nothing true about what's been said, you know, like the media, but the public that hasn't been published any names, there's been the tests we've prevented, in collaboration with our international partners. So we have to remember that Serbia's so-called recognition campaign has never been halted, we have identified even in the period when it was a deal, Washington's vows, so the horror that Serbia accepted from doing that campaign, we have identified close to 30 cases when Serbia has run such a campaign in different countries. After this alone has intensified, but so far without success, and I am convinced that it will not be successful because the geopolitical context is understood especially after the start of the war in Ukraine, where public Serbia is listed on the Russian Federation side”, the deputy foreign minister says.

Kosovo currently has 117 recognitions, and the last is formalised in February 2021.

Ahmeti says the government has worked harder on deepening relations with connoisseur countries, but that according to him there has not been enough communication in the past.

While adding that the five countries are not familiar with the European Union.

The “has been made progress, not all five EU nations stand in the same stage of development, it is clear but it has to take steps forward because it contributes to stability in the region, so it does not help to make any kind of interest in Serbia to take steps that can destabilise the region and any revisionism of borders or something, which are projects that have died but know that they were very discussed earlier”, Ahmeti says.

He says they have been working with other states in establishing container relations for what he says the same will be formalised soon, while he does not provide details about when he expects new recognition.

A summit in Brussels between Kosovo and Serbia has been warned to be held 18 August in Brussels. Ahmeti says that there is no need to discuss license plates and IDs, since they are already reached agreements and their implementation, he emphasises, will begin on September 1st of this year.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmeti says that together with international partners it is estimated that a little more time is needed to fight Serbia's disinformive campaign in terms of the decision on IDs.

He says Belgrade has spread dezinforms that Serbian IDs will be confiscated at the border for what it emphasises that with the government's decision they will only be added to a document, which Serbia now applies to a decade with Kosovo citizens.

The “Agreements that have been reached are agreements that have been reached and there is no need to be discussed further with Belgrade, so there is no reason to lay them on the table of discussion but it is seen reasonable by our government to give even a little space by September 1st to make an informational campaign for all Kosovo citizens who are certainly most of them from the Serb community, to understand the truths about these decisions, and the laws that they have been released from numerous payments... Because one of the dezinforms has been that Serbian IDs will be confiscated, it is not true, as we know it will only be added to a document like Serbia has done for a decade, and there is nothing beyond that, and there has been such compatibility, and on September 1st decisions will begin to be implemented”, Ahmeti says.

Number two in the foreign ministry says Kosovo is ready for dialogue in Brussels and, according to him, should start discussing the main topic that is mutual recognition.

“We will be constructive in dialogue and ready to meet to find solutions to the issues that we will discuss, of course we should start as soon as we can discuss the main topic that is mutual recognition, and any agreement that is reached given the basis for mutual recognition between the two countries, as the United States and the United States have agreed, and have also declared that the Germans are the right choice of”, he says.

According to him, official Belgrade conducts provocations in the field since it is interested in Kosovo not being constructive in dialogue.

Speaking of Sunday's events in the north of the country where gangs from Belgrade appeared, Ahmeti says Serbia is losing the support of Serb citizens in Kosovo.

“The reason why we see a more extensive form of violent organisation of these groups is that Serbia is losing the support of our Serbian citizens and no longer willing to mobilise citizens on the streets. We have seen the same thing in the impasses that took place last year, there have been sanctions at public municipal companies in the north for those who do not come out, there have been various initiatives, various incentives, professions for those who come out but still failed to reach a massive mobilization. Given this, Serbia is certainly interested in making these impasses by exploiting its criminal structures, which do not represent the Serb citizens of the Republic of Kosovo”, he says.

As for the visa liberalisation issue, Ahmeti says they expect tangible results soon, but adds that I cannot give dates since it does not depend on Kosovo, which has already met all criteria.

“The criteria have been fulfilled, we are updateing the data that shows that the criteria remained such even there is an advance further in areas that have been defined as criteria, but we are not expecting at all, we are doing intensive work every day to show this and I believe soon there will be tangible results in this direction”, he says.

Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister says the government will decide for the right moment for application of candidate country status to the European Union, but stresses that this will happen within this year and will, according to him, be in co-ordination with international allies.

He says there is no reason for this to be postponed since Kosovo has, according to him, made major progress in fighting corruption and organised crime.

“We do not believe that there is any reason for the Republic of Kosovo not to apply, we are the only country that has not applied, and this application will be made this year. The exact moment, of course, will be appreciated, but the plans are this year's application... Of course, this is done in co-ordination with our allies and it's also publicly discussed, so there's nothing behind the stage or something because it's something our country deserves”, Ahmeti says.

Prior to that, Kosovo in May of this year has submitted its membership application to the Council of Europe.

While it is now waiting to be put in order for the issue to pass the Parliamentary Assembly.

Ahmeti says they expect positive results in the sense of passing a phase since he stresses that the process as a whole is relatively long and complex.

According to him, there is support from member states, however, adding that they are working through diplomatic missions for this effort to be achieved.