Osman brings peace to Kurt from a distance: Kosovo to get more co-ordination, co-operation with US

She said history has shown how many times Kosovo has worked closely with Washington has succeeded, which has served the country and its residents.

Comments Mrs. Osmani made from New York, where he has held a series of meetings these days under activities held in parallel with the UN General Assembly.

Voice of America: Mrs. President, the United States reaffirmed the urgent “ ” need for Kosovo and Serbia to be dedicated to dialogue mediated by the European Union. Does this dialogue have any future?

Vjosa Osmani: First of all, I must point out that relations between the Republic of Kosovo and the United States of America are much deeper, much broader than just the question of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. Of course Kosovo- Serbia is one of the themes that we constantly discuss with our allies in the US, but that's not all, and to reduce our entire report on this subject alone, I think it's not good for Kosovo. So even during this week as president of the Republic of Kosovo and leader of the Kosovo delegation at the UN General Assembly summit, I have repeatedly posted this fact in all meetings with the highest officials of the United States, including two short discussions I had with President (Joe) Biden during yesterday's day, which, as you know, has cost him more than 30 years of his career in support of Kosovo from the early 1990s, when we really needed Kosovo voices of our state and aspirations for our freedom and independence. In the process of Kosovo- Serbia has many challenges, but it has never lacked Kosovo's full commitment to address issues that are in the interest of our citizens and regional peace and stability. Kosovo has accepted the basic agreement and the Ohrid annex proposed by the European Union and supported by the United States, and now all that Kosovo requires is that there be full implementation of the agreement and not just of its fragments, because the deal divided into pieces has no meaning, and it doesn't make any sense that it can be implemented in a uniform way by Kosovo, while the other side that is Serbia in this case, completely flee from its obligations, as it has in these 12-13 years of dialogue. So, Kosovo is dedicated and, of course, as president I insist that every day there be more co-ordination and co-operation with the United States, because history has proved that every time Kosovo has worked closely with the United States and in our positions on dialogue, but in general, in our successes in empowering our international subjectivity, every time we have succeeded, so the more closely, the more co-operation with the US, the better for Kosovo, the more success for our people.

Voice of America: Madam President you have said that the Kosovo government's actions for extending sovereignty in the north are legal. But would they be more stable if they had Western support? Is Kosovo losing allied support due to lack of co-ordination. You mentioned the need for this.

Vjosa Osmani: Actions are not only legal but also legitimate. They have full legitimacy because Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state must extend its sovereignty to every corner of the territory. But, as you said, and I have repeated it in every public statement and in our meetings with our institutions on every occasion during this 25-year story, but in particular in our 16 years as an independent state, in any case when we have worked closely with Western states and in particular with our allies in the United States and certain EU states and co-ordinated the steps, in those cases these steps have been much more stable, successes have been longer lasting and the very act of declaration of independence has been such. It is not that the people of Kosovo have had the will to declare independence sooner but, if we did it in a more uncoordinated way then Kosovo would not even be recognised. The fact that we did it in full co-ordination with our Allied states has brought us more recognition, has brought us membership in international organisations, economic support, prosperity for our citizens and further steps towards Euro-Atlantic integration. Even now, of course, sovereignty should be extended to every corner of Kosovo and our security institutions are doing an excellent job in this direction, but the more we co-ordinate and co-operate with our allies, the more that sovereignty will be stable, long-term and therefore more successful for our country and will open up more ways for Kosovo to not only be internal, but to reflect on our foreign policy, so through the membership of Kosovo in international mechanisms where our country has and deserves to be.

Voice of AmericaMrs. President, is it enough to say that the extension of sovereignty in the north is taking place with the sending of special police forces as long as there is no integration of Serbian citizens making up the majority there?

Vjosa Osmani: I wouldn't call it a delivery because it can only be said if we send forces to another country. Kosovo police have the right to be at any time and in every corner of Kosovo territory, have constitutional and legal obligation, has the mandate to be present everywhere. So, we don't send the police, the police are there because it has to be in every corner of Kosovo. It's like the White House sent police forces to New York, of course it doesn't send them because the NYPD is here, in turn, to protect from Serb gangs, criminal gangs led by criminals on the US list, the United Kingdom and other states, by criminal gangs which have killed Serbs, including Serb citizens living in the north, to protect them from Serb gangs, criminal gangs led by criminals who are on the US list, the United Kingdom and other states, from criminal gangs that have killed Serb homes and Serbs. In fact, the more security there is, the more relaxed Serbian citizens are living in the north of our country to then freely exercise their right to vote, toė choose their political representatives, exercise their rights and also benefit from the rights that the Constitution of Kosovo and its laws grant them, as the most progressive constitution on all European continent in terms of minority rights. However, I think that we can still do even more that our communication with the Serb community living in Kosovo is better, that there is more economic development, that creates new jobs, has greater prosperity, because the more economic development, the more integration is possible. But integration cannot happen by dividing communities, not letting them co-operate, not allowing them to talk to each other. So the more cooperation there is, the more there is, the more there is access to each other, the more jobs create where Albanians and Serbs and Turks and others work in one country, the easier integration is, and the more everyone will realise that Kosovo is sovereign and independent state, is a permanent project, which will remain there forever and it is not something that will only last a few years and then disappear. So it is the permanent home of all citizens of Kosovo, regardless of ethnicity.

Voice of America: Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has demanded the return of the previous situation to the north in recent days, including holding new elections, returning to work by Serbian policemen, judges and prosecutors. You have said Vucic should not be taken seriously, as he does not want the return of Serbs to institutions. But what is the way, according to you, to resolve the problem of their return to institutions?

Vjosa Osmani: I'm convinced that he lied in the past and that's what he does now. I am convinced that he does not want the participation of Serbs in the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo, according to the rights they also belong to the Constitution of Kosovo, because it is Vucic exactly why they boycotted them, left those institutions. It was precisely he who, through instigation, the force, violence, blocked Serbs from participating in early elections that were organised in northern Kosovo municipalities. Now, of course, there will be new local elections, according to legal terms they happen next year. So instead of taking into account what he says, because he never says what he thinks, in parallel with those words, his actions are quite opposite on the ground; he continues to train terrorists and paramilitary groups, continues to keep those who have committed (the attack on) Banjska, continuing to destabilise not only Kosovo but Bosnia and the entire region. And it continues to survive with the logic of the 19th century, speaking of the Serbian “world” and other concepts that endanger peace and stability in the entire Western Balkans, and not just in Kosovo. So Vucic talks, but his actions never fit in with his language, and in this case we should not take seriously what he says but see how he is doing. His works endanger our stability, so we must empower the defence of Kosovo, maintain the border better in co-operation with our allies, and at the same time take affirmative measures to continue to empower citizens of all non- majority communities, feel they can contribute to Kosovo institutions and reintegration. So, of course, new elections will be in accordance with the election calendar. What is important is that the international community pressure Vucic not to use violence and threats against Serbs living in Kosovo and to let them free of their rights, to elect their representatives both at the local level and at the national level, and then push ahead their rights, development, progress, and all those given to our Constitution, even with laws, but more, the Brussels agreement. So this is the way ahead. The road is to stop the pressure of Serbia and Vucic specifically on Serbs in Kosovo. And not to empower or factor him even more so that he decides for them. Kosovo's constitution gives Serbs the right to decide for themselves through the rights they have in the Constitution. As you know, there's also a surplus that isn't consistent with population percentages. So 3-4 percent of the population in Kosovo, which is Serbs, can block any constitutional amendments, any law of vital interest. They have rights that no minority in Europe has.

Voice of America: Lady President, according to the Kosovo Constitution, the president leads foreign policy. Have you conveyed your international concerns to Prime Minister Kurti and co-ordinated with each other? How easy or how difficult is this for you, as you have expressed, relations with the prime minister are no longer what they used to be?

Vjosa Osmani: Of course, not only these concerns but we can discuss all issues very openly. Our roles in the Constitution are set and divided, but there is still a system of “control and balance”, according to the principles our own Constitution has embraced. However, it is in the interest of the Republic of Kosovo that we co-operate, that we co-ordinate, always setting the interest of our citizens and the interest of the Republic of Kosovo, the principles that we have done together in 2021. Not necessarily we have the same approach, but as far as the long-term interests of our country, as far as the final goal is concerned, we do not discern. We want a strong, sovereign Kosovo in every corner of the territory, an integrated Kosovo into the Euro-Atlantic family, in mechanisms that benefit our citizens, an economically developed Kosovo. Above all, a Kosovo where the law rules, not criminals. So in this regard, we are inconsistencies. But my continued insistence is that in order for all these actions that are completely legitimate and in accordance with the Constitution to be more lasting and sustainable, we must constantly work together with our allies. Let's not forget that the alliance with the United States is one of the foundations of our country. It is one of the strongest pillars of our state and it has been proved every time we had problems or challenges with Serbia, including the challenge we had last year through the act of aggression. It was the US that made sure that numerous military and police forces around the border with Kosovo leave and not endanger Kosovo, as they did.

Voice of AmericaMrs. President, you have the same objective but the way you're going to get there can slow down the process... right?

Vjosa Osmani: We have to do what in the United States and the military call <x0regroups and reorganization”. Let's get together again, join forces because Kosovo's interest is beyond the differences we can have. And we see that at this moment when there are many wars in different parts of the world, including our continent, Kosovo is certainly not the top priority of world leaders. So Kosovo and as Albanians in general, we are little to be divided, as I always said. As for our country's interest, we must work whether we are in power today or someone is in opposition. Kosovo's interest should be above all and there are some topics that should unite us. Protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, the Euro-Atlantic integration of our country, are national priorities, and we have to put them ahead of all others. Sometimes it goes slower, sometimes it goes faster, but the important thing is that we co-ordinate, co-operate, and that Kosovo moves forward, not falling behind, because sometimes this window of opportunity opens for a period, but then closes for a long period. We have to use the moment and I have received a powerful confirmation yesterday from President Biden that it will be alongside Kosovo and that the United States really considers Kosovo to be one of the greatest successes in its history and we have to keep it as such.