French Ambassador: The situation in northern Kosovo is disturbing, and could be avoided: Macron is firmly committed

France's Ambassador Olivier Guerot has talked about recent political developments in our country and the international community's expectations for Kosovo and Serbia in the ongoing dialogue.

The diplomat from France has shown what the messages from France and Germany are for these two countries and what exactly are expected from the parties.

Ambassador Guerot has also indicated the involvement of his president of state Emmanuel Macron in Kosovo dialogue Serbia.

Total interview:

 France's President Emmanuel Macron along with German Chancellor Olaf Sholz in Moldova last week have met with Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani and Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq. What are the messages of this meeting?

Olivier Guerot: The main messages the French president and German Chancellor have conveyed to the president of Kosovo and Serbia are:
Need for organising new local elections in northern Kosovo ;

Need to secure Serb participation in new local elections

Need for Progress Toward the Establishment of Serb Major Municipal Association

These messages are included in the statement of the 27 members of the European Union published last weekend, in which there are specific requirements for calming the situation.

How do you assess the situation created in northern Kosovo where journalists, KFOR soldiers and order forces were attacked?

Olivier Guerot: The situation in northern Kosovo is disturbing. So say the 27 member states in this statement. We condemn violence against citizens, journalists, KFOR soldiers and rule forces. We urge both sides to avoid any violence and to take measures to calm the situation. This in particular implies suspending uncoordinated actions of Kosovo police near municipal facilities and for new leaders to exercise their positions from other countries. This also means organising new elections as soon as possible and securing Serb participation. To ensure this turnout, this means starting without further delay in working to establish association with Serb majority municipalities.

France has recently been more involved in Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, how do you see the solution to this problem?

Olivier Guerot: President Macron is firmly committed to the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, alongside Chancellor Scholz, as indicated in Chisinau. We are in close and regular contact with all countries that, like us, are very involved: within the EU, in particular Italy, and of course with the United States and the United Kingdom. The resolution of this problem requires the above-mentioned short-term measures and re-enhancement of the two sides in the dialogue process with the aim of finding a sustainable solution to the situation in northern Kosovo, which guarantees the security and democratic participation of all citizens and paves the way for implementation of the Agreement on normalisation and its annex. This especially means starting without delay or preconditions of work for establishing association.

 What does the international community from Kosovo and Serbia expect in dialogue between the two countries?

Olivier Guerot: The Ohrid Agreement is useful for both countries, and especially for their citizens. This is an important step and the two countries' commitments would enable relief of daily life for all. It is essential to continue this effort with the goal of normalisation. Therefore, the international community expects Kosovo and Serbia to stop using divisive rhetoric, end unilateral actions, take short-term measures to ensure the calming of the situation in northern Kosovo and to resume constructively in the process of dialogue, to implement the agreement to normalise its relations and annex. This is a clear condition for integration into the European Union, as well as for pursuing reforms for the legal Corps integration, reforms which are in the interest of Kosovo and its citizens.

You came as ambassador in 2022, what are your impressions within this period?

Olivier Guerot: Kosovo is a very beautiful, very attractive country. I am so happy to know and try to visit all the cities and meet as many people as possible from all communities. People are tired of crises and tensions. Many of them have family members in diaspora in Switzerland, Germany, France, or elsewhere and therefore feel a close proximity to my country. I am convinced that Kosovo's future is within the European Union. President Macron was also clear of our enlargement vision during his recent speech in Bratislava. That is why dialogue should resume and not be hampered by repeated crises. Especially not by a crisis that could have been avoided as is the case with the current crisis.

France and Kosovo have good relations, in which areas can there be greater co-operation between the two states?

Olivier Guerot: We have deep relations, whose basis is the firm commitment of France and its soldiers to free Kosovo during the war and then at the time of Kosovo's independence. It is important to remember that France has always witnessed its steadfast support in crucial moments for Kosovo. Granted, our cooperation is more oriented toward the future than the memory of the past. We participate in training civil servants in Kosovo because we want a functional Kosovo, which can one day join the EU. We multiply ties with a region in northern France, similar to Kosovo in the territory. We also develop very varied cultural activities. A few examples: We have signed an agreement to facilitate the co-production of films between our two countries. We work closely with the French Ministry and professors to preserve the quality of French learning. We conduct archaeological excavations in the Ulpiana area, near Gracanica, with Kosovo archaeologists trained in France. Moreover, I want more Kosovo students in France, in all areas.

 

I invite each student, each parent, to get acquainted with the Erasmus+ programs, which facilitate and help these exchanges financially. French universities offer all possible courses in French, of course, but very often also in English. The French Alliance of Pristina can respond to all requests for information on this topic. And finally, I'd like to add economic exchanges. I enjoy seeing many French cars on the streets of Kosovo and French products in shops. There are already considerable French investments in Kosovo. Pristina Airport, for example, is co-managed by a Turkish company and a French company. This is just one example from many others. There are French companies willing to invest in the field of renewable energy. We work to facilitate these investments because the fight against climate change belongs to all countries, Kosovo as well.