Kurti: I have spoken Serbianly more than all my ancestors I know what to do most for Serbs

Prime Minister Albin Kurti, in an interview for the Dutch newspaper “Trouw”, has said the European Union for Kosovo is the most important political project and the historic process of freedom and prosperity since World War II.

He said he didn't think our generation, and maybe next generation, could come up with a better model.

“The EU must be protected and we want to contribute to this”, Kurti said in this interview.

Stopping at the Association of Serb-run municipalities, Kurti said that although Serbs constitute only four percent of Kosovo's population, their language is an official language throughout Kosovo and at any level of governance.

They also said Serbs have ten seats reserved in parliament, while stressing that they are not exploiting the opportunities they have.

Instead, they want an executive-powered municipal association. This power should then be removed from the municipalities or national government. This is not possible according to the Constitution. And they also want that association to have a chairman. I want to help the municipalities, but not by forming a new Republika Srpska”.

Kurti said it is Kosovo's prime minister who has spoken Serbian “more than all my predecessors combined”.

Serbia's majority municipalities receive 62 per cent more budgets for residents than others. I don't know what else to do. There is no prime minister who talks and consults with Serbs like me. But most of these meetings are held in secret at their request. Because otherwise Belgrade would attack immediately. I am sorry and I apologize that I am still unable to protect all Kosovo Serbs from harassment by Belgrade”, Prime Minister Albin Kurti concluded.

Speaking of the problems the country is facing towards EU membership, the prime minister cited the case of last September's terrorist attack in Banjska.

He said the Serbian state is behind that attack.

After those criminal attacks, we seized more than 5m euros in heavy military equipment and ammunition. Of course, it is impossible for ordinary citizens to take responsibility for this. This was Serbia's state, using a paramilitary group led by a criminal. (Milan) We've known Radoicicin here for a long time, he's also involved in threats, smuggling and extortion. Criminal organisations use Serbia's political position as a cover for their crimes”.

In June we warned our Western partners that something was being prepared. At the end of that month we appointed two terrorist organisations. We were criticized for this, but in September it turned out that members of those groups were part of the paramilitaries in Banjska”, Kurti said,

Asked whether Serbia would enter a war for the invasion of Kosovo, the prime minister said that if NATO forces were not here, “I am sure Serbia would probably even try to invade” again.

“Feeding its strong ties with Russia, Serbia believes it can escape the injuries of KFOR soldiers and Kosovo police. Like Russia, Serbia hates NATO. In the eyes of Kremlin, Kosovo is nothing more than a project NATO, while I see it as a success of fighting a people for freedom”.

“Cremlin doesn't see people, he sees only leaders and territory. If NATO were not here, I am sure Serbia would try to invade again. Serbian military police have 48 military bases around the border with Kosovo, of which 28 include soldiers. From there, sometimes they get into our country for a little while.

What makes me optimistic about the future is that there is no such nationalism among people in our region that promotes the war machine of dictators. They already prefer the only thing they have left, that is criminal gangs. Thirty years ago, figures like Radovici would have distributed the Kalashnikovs to ordinary citizens. They are no longer interested in this, and this reduces the power of these types of criminals”, the head of the Kosovo executive said in this interview.

According to Kurti, the solution between Kosovo and Serbia is the model of two Germanys in 1972.

“We reached an agreement under the leadership of the European Union in February, but implementation is the problem. Serbia refuses to sign and has violated at least eight of its eleven articles. Without a signature, you show that you have your own reserves. I think we should stick to the 1972 model for West and East Germany: live and let live, with de facto mutual recognition”.

“What is needed is a bold democratic leader in Belgrade, who is distanced by Milosevic and Putin. Until then, I'm afraid there can't be normalization”, he's got a point.

Kurti said Kosovo doesn't do propaganda, as opposed to Serbia. According to him, “you can hardly hear Kosovo's truth anymore through Serbia's” lies.

Serbia, as a bigger state, has huge resources for propaganda, which we don't have. Often you can no longer hear Kosovo's truth through Serbia's lies. We don't propaganda”.

He said there are two kinds of diplomats in the EU who are dominant in determining relations with Serbia.

The “first is shy, fearing that Serbia could pull Russia into another round of Balkan wars. And that's why he prefers the satisfaction of coping. And the second kind thinks, I must say, utopically. He believes Serbia can join the Western camp with President Vuciq. Without democratisation this is an impossible” mission, the prime minister said.

He also said that Kosovo Serbs in the northern part, who have not paid the electricity since independence, will already do so. /Klan Kosova/