RADIO FREE EUROPE
Mr. Prime Minister, after Serbia’s rejection of the agreement, Baroness Ashton invited the Serbian Government to make a final effort to reach an agreement. Is there a possibility that Serbia might accept the agreement or has this question ended with regard to the EU’s final proposal?
PRIME MINISTER THAÇI
There is a possibility. Serbia has tried to make a drama of this process in Belgrade and they said this openly in Brussels in the meeting we held together with Baroness Ashton. It has created this drama itself in public opinion. I think that now is the moment to move forward.
The position of the Kosovo delegation is entirely in harmony with Baroness Ashton’s concept for a comprehensive agreement that finally normalizes relations between Kosovo and Serbia; which opens up a secure Euro-Atlantic perspective for the state of Kosovo and for Serbia, for peace, stability and regional cooperation.
Therefore, I hope that in the coming hours and days that things will move toward a willingness to reach the agreement that has been discussed now for the last six months, at the highest political levels between Kosovo and Serbia, with the mediation and leadership of the European Union, and concretely that of Baroness Ashton, and with the strong support of the United States of America.
RADIO FREE EUROPE
In the event that Serbia responds in the same way, calling for the dialogue to continue, what changes might occur in order for Serbia to accept the agreement?
PRIME MINISTER THAÇI
It is in everyone’s agreement that Serbia accept the agreement. Serbia is in a dilemma over integration or isolation. If Serbia chooses the path of European integration, it must reach agreement with Kosovo, if it chooses to reject the agreement, then this indicates its will to extend isolation.
But Serbia must not hold Kosovo’s European future hostage, it cannot hold the region hostage and it cannot hold the European Union’s investment in the region hostage, and this will not be allowed.
If Serbia refuses, then Kosovo will continue to pursue its European perspective alone and Belgrade will remain behind at its own fault, because of its own irresponsibility and the logic of the mentality of the politics of the past that caused the wars in Croatia, Bosnia, and Kosovo and a serious crisis in Serbia.
RADIO FREE EUROPE
Could the agreement offered by Baroness Ashton be changed, so that Serbia accepts it?
PRIME MINISTER THAÇI
It is up to the leadership of Serbia to accept the agreement or not. We set out our proposals, which are constitutional and legal, and we will not shift from that position.
It is Serbia’s affair whether it wants to or not. Rejection will cost Serbia, but we must continue working.
If an agreement is not reached between Prishtina and Serbia, with the EU’s mediation, Kosovo must continue to work directly with the EU on our European perspective, and naturally, the responsibility for the stagnation of peace, stability and regional cooperation will have one address and this address will be Serbia.
RADIO FREE EUROPE
What will happen if there is no agreement? How will the question of the north of Kosovo be resolved?
PRIME MINISTER THAÇI
We have our constitution, we have our laws, and we have an international presence, EULEX and KFOR. We will serve all citizens in the north. We will work to the maximum to create better conditions and circumstances for them, to create a secure environment for free movement of people and goods, and for the functioning of Kosovo’s institutions.
The citizens in the north have been manipulated and deceived by Belgrade for 14 years and Serbia is not interested in Serbs in the north, but only in the territory of the north. It is my intention to serve those citizens; they are Kosovo’s citizens, they have the right to dual citizenship and we will create a peaceful environment for integration and development. I know there will be difficulty and challenges, but things will progress.
RADIO FREE EUROPE
Are there obstacles to what you’re saying? How long will parallel security structures function in the north?
PRIME MINISTER THAÇI
The agreement includes the full dismantling of all parallel security structures and that means Serb MUP and intelligence.
If Serbia rejects the agreement then we must continue to reach agreement between Kosovo and the European Union. This is what happened at Rambouillet, and this is what happened with the actions coordinated between Kosovo and the international community at Vienna.
So, Serbia cannot hold Kosovo hostage in any circumstances and at any price, under any conditions and in no developments today or in the future.
RADIO FREE EUROPE
Is there a deadline for reaching an agreement? There are different declarations saying that there will be a meeting soon…
PRIME MINISTER THAÇI
Neither Prishtina nor Belgrade can set deadlines for each other. Only Baroness Ashton can set a deadline, but I think Baroness Ashton was very clear and the time period was stated publicly.
RADIO FREE EUROPE
Until when is it anticipated that Serbia will change its position toward Kosovo and do you think that if the time for a response is extended, Baroness Ashton will lose patience?
PRIME MINISTER THAÇI
We were aware that dialogue was the only solution to move forward, to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia. Baroness Ashton has done a great job, with her brilliant leadership of this process and I thank her for that.
The European Union was united in supporting the efforts of Baroness Ashton. The Baroness’ proposals were entirely in accordance with the highest European standards, with the European Charter for Local Self-Government.
Therefore, we will work to the maximum so that in the brief time remaining, and in constant touch with Baroness Ashton, we will look for even the tiniest possibility existing for reaching an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, which would mean clearly the full dismantling of all security structures, free movement of people and goods in the north; creating suitable conditions for organizing free elections, so that people there elect their leaders, and local institutions, and form an association of municipalities with Serb majorities, without a legislative or executive mandate and without a third layer of government.
There will be a united system of justice, according to Kosovo’s laws and a united police system, according to Kosovo’s standards and laws.
RADIO FREE EUROPE
And if dialogue fails, what will be the consequences for Kosovo?
PRIME MINISTER THAÇI
We will move toward reaching an agreement directly between Kosovo and the European Union, so that Kosovo moves as quickly as possible toward European integration, with the serious burden of the north of Mitrovica and Belgrade’s direct responsibility for undermining the sovereignty of the Republic of Kosovo.
So the European future of Kosovo does not depend on Serbia, but normalizing relations between Kosovo and Serbia, would make this perspective easier.
I have emphasized before that reaching an agreement on normalizing relations between Kosovo and Serbia is not only good for Kosovo, but it is also in the interest of Serbia and in the interest of the citizens above all in the north and if this agreement does not occur, the biggest losers will be the Serbs living in the north.
But if the agreement does not occur, then at the same time it is also a huge loss of credibility for the European Union and its engagement in Kosovo-Serbia relations.
If the agreement does not occur, Brussels cannot ignore this, and the address for the responsibility for the failure of this agreement is in Belgrade, just as it has also been the cause of all the problems in the region since 1990.
Last modified: July 31, 2022