INDEPENDENCE OF KOSOVA
From Hashim THAÇI
Prime minister of kosova
29 January 2008
Kosovo is on the brink of history. Independence is in front of us. I expect the Kosovo parliament to be able to declare it in the coming days. This will be a closely coordinated process with our allies, in particular with our partners from the European Union and the United States of America. Pristine and Belgrade have gone through a difficult period of intense negotiations. But a compromise on the most sensitive issue — independence — is impossible.
Most members of the U.N. Security Council also now see it this way. I was in New York just last week where I reiterated Kosovo’s commitment to the international process and our strong desire to work with our allies to create the conditions for Kosovo’s independence, which in the end will help strengthen regional security and the security of Europe. An independent Kosovo must be a positive process.
There are those who remain convinced that negotiations should continue. They are a minority. It is now time to move to the next phase to allow Kosovo, Serbia and the region to fully embrace and focus on the European integration process.
As our neighbors increase their cooperation with the EU and improve their economic standards, Kosovo is stuck waiting. I am convinced that we don’t have much more time to deliberate, and I think there is a great deal of understanding in Brussels and other major EU capitals that Kosovo is also a European project, which must be developed. The Slovenian EU presidency is instrumental in this phase in ensuring that Europe sends next month a police and justice mission to Kosovo and takes over the International Civilian Office to help ease the transition to local rule. Our public strongly supports an integrated European future for Kosovo.
Therefore, my government has made EU membership a high priority following independence. Kosovo cannot succeed if not fully integrated into the EU. This is perfectly clear to us. I am determined to make Kosovo find its place in Europe. This means we are in the business of building a true partnership with the EU.
I also understand that many have doubts about the viability of the Kosovo state. This is unjustified. Kosovo is a political and economic system in transition. And our starting point was well below the regional average. But Kosovo has a young, entrepreneurial population. The skill level is increasing as new educational programs have been introduced. Also, our institutions have improved in the last years thanks to the help of the U.N., the EU, the U.S. and others. Kosovo has promising coal resources around which we can build our economy.
Kosovo has already established good relationships with neighboring countries — in particular with Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro. And I am interested in building a stable relationship with Belgrade in the near future — but one based on an equal footing. It will be easier for Belgrade and Pristine to cooperate once we feel we have our independence secured. As for the Serb minority living in Kosovo — this is their home. They must be allowed to stay and live here in peace and prosperity. Their rights must be protected as outlined by the plan for EU-supervised independence drafted by U.N. envoy Martti Ahtisaari, which the Kosovo Parliament is adopting as law. Our constitution will in many parts echo the Ahtisaari conclusions. I can say with certainty that my government will not tolerate any discrimination against Kosovo Serbs. Quite to the contrary, we will aspire to sustain a positive atmosphere of tolerance and cooperation. While partition of Kosovo is not an option under any circumstances, we will make sure that all communities accept Kosovo as their homeland.
Pristine is ready to turn the page. The U.N. did a commendable job in helping us thus far. Their presence in Kosovo has allowed us to build the institutions on which we are today basing our independence. From here on we need the EU. We need European know-how and assistance to help us transform our new country into a European member sate.
Serbia, I believe, has the same objective. For this reason, I support Serbia’s membership bid and I support Europe’s efforts to reach out to Belgrade. My only condition is that Kosovo is not for sale. Independence is a collective objective now. Europe and Kosovo are headed toward the same endgame. Therefore, my priority is to take our next steps together with Brussels in the spirit of a genuine partnership.
Kosovo is determined to have its independence. But our final destination must be the integration into the EU and the Euro-Atlantic structure.
Last modified: July 31, 2022