Kurti for German media: I'm not stubborn. I'm a professor.

In an interview for the German newspaper “Süddeutsche Zeitung” Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti rejects accusations from Brussels and Washington.

He thinks Serbia should respond.

Relations between Serbia and Kosovo are more tense than in previous years. Washington warns that the crisis could escalate into a regional conflict, while the European Union is threatening Kosovo with sanctions. That's how the paper describes “Süddeutsche Zeitung” current state.

Journalist Tobias Tsick explains to German readers that “mediating efforts of the EU and the US are intended to convince Pristina to form the Association of Serb majority municipalities, while Belgrade must recognise Kosovo's de facto independence”.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has said that at the meeting with Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq, in March, has submitted a draft with key conditions: “The constitutionality of our Republic must be recognised. The association cannot have executive power and cannot create additional levels of governance. But once the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo is mentioned, Mr. Vuciq does not want to hear anything about it”.

I don't think I'm stubborn.

When I meet Mr. Vuciq”, says Kurti, “it always seems to me that he wants to be back in time: once in 1999 when we were released, sometime before 2008 when we declared independence and once before February 27th of this year, when he told the EU-led agreement in Brussels, but which he did not sign”.

German journalist's note that Western diplomats consider him a difficult partner and accuse him of being stubborn, Kurt answers: “I don't think I'm stubborn, I'm principled” Politics cannot be seen isolated from ethics and values”.

The prime minister then adds that he has heard “of international enemies and partners” when calling for the postponement of the elections, as well as for the country's shift in the oath of mayors “to avoid triumphant scenes”. But he adds, the mayors should go to their offices or should they do the job through the zoo?

“West will achieve opposite”

The prime minister asked how he estimates the fact that the European Union threatens Kosovo with sanctions, while it is extremely mild towards Belgrade”, Kurti answers: “Our associates in the EU and the US have little expectations of Belgrade”. That is why any positive Belgrade gesture is overrated and swollen. At the same time, they have high expectations for Serbia on the medium-term plan. Such a policy creates security problems for all of Serbia's neighbours”.

German journalist emphasises that, “according to a performance, the EU and the US want to use their policy with good intentions to separate Vuciqi from its close ties to Putin and thus tie it closer to themselves”. Kosovo's prime minister estimates that “something like this could work with a democrat, but not with an autism. An autism will view any act of generosity or tolerance as a sign of fear or weakness”. Therefore, he says, “thinking that concessions would lure Mr. Vuciq back to the West would be achieved exactly the opposite”.

Serbia must recognise Kosovo and face crimes”

“We have not achieved much”, says Albin Kurti for the current dialog: “After hours of talks on the basic agreement, EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security (Josep) Borell on March 18th stated: “We have an agreement. ” And April 24, Mr. Vuciq stated at the press conference that he accepts the agreement only as a concept and not as a content. He has later announced Berlin, Paris and Washington that he intends to implement only parts of the” agreement, Kurti says.

And finally, in the question of whether true trust between him and Belgrade is possible, given how student leaders have been in prison in Serbia for a while, Albin Kurti answers that “cannot have full confidence until Serbia does not recognise Kosovo as an independent state and until it faces the crimes it has committed during war”. / DW