Kotor, 16 May 2024
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti is participating in the third consecutive Summit of the leaders of the Six Western Balkans for the Growth Plan with the European Union and the presence of the United States of America as well as the partner organizations of the region.
In his opening remarks before joining the panel to discuss the growth plan, the Prime Minister said that this meeting is an excellent opportunity for all six countries of the Western Balkans to come together and discuss how they can further integrate, making reforms in the country, but at the same time to see how we can do more and better with the European Union in terms of benefiting from the support programs from the EU Growth Plan.
The complete speech of Prime Minister Kurti:
Good morning.
I’m very glad to be here in Kotor, in Montenegro. 41 years ago my uncle was a political prisoner in Kotor for three months. He comes from a village Sukobinë which is in the Municipality of Ulqin, bordering Albania. 25 years ago I became political prisoner and later on a prisoner of war as well. That was the time when regime of Milosevic was exercising genocide against Albanian people in Kosova, and in Montenegro we had a friend. The Albanian refugees who were escaping the “Horse Shoe” Serbian project for the extermination for the Albanians found shelter in neighbouring Montenegro, behaving with unconditional hospitality for which we are forever thankful.
And now I am back in Kotor, after several years of different conferences, now for the first time as Prime minister of Kosova and at the same time I am very happy to have my uncle free and healthy in Sukobinë turning seventy this year.
This third meeting of European Union Growth Plan is great opportunity for all the countries of the Western Balkans six to come together and discuss how they can integrate further by doing reforms at home, but at the same time to see how we can do more and better with European Union in the sense of benefiting support programs from the EU Growth Plan which will at the same time offer access for us to European Union Single Market.
We will mark ten years of Berlin Process this year and we are looking forward to have a better cooperation which implies mutual de facto and de jure recognition of all the countries of Western Balkans.
On this occasion let me express that we are dissatisfied with the fact the Bosnia and Hercegovina still did not ratified the agreement for freedom of movement with ID cards only that we have agreed upon eighteen months ago.
In the end let me thank Prime minister Milojko Spajic for hosting us and for this warm atmosphere of this third meeting for EU Growth Plan.
Thank you very much! Hvala puno! And I wish you all the best!
Përshëndetje të gjithë atyre të cilët kuptojnë shqip, posaçërisht kushërinjve të mi prej Sukobinës deri në Ulqin.
Last modified: May 16, 2024