Pristine, 3 June 2016
The third joint meeting between the Government of the Republic of Kosovo and the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania was held on Friday in Prishtina.
Initially, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, hosted the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama with a state ceremony.
Then, the joint meeting took place which was co-chaired by the Prime Minister Mustafa and Rama.
After the opening remarks of Prime Ministers, both Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Enver Hoxhaj and Ditmir Bushati, held short speeches, as well as, ministers who signed bilateral agreements between the two countries.
After the meeting, the following agreements have been signed:
1. Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kosovo and the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania, for the mutual recognition of certificates of testing /calibration of tachograph of road vehicles.
2. Agreement on cooperation between customs and tax authorities of the Republic of Kosovo and Albania in the field of administrative investigations, customs and tax investigations.
3. Agreement on establishing the Joint Training Centre.
4. The cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Public Administration of the Republic of Kosovo and Ministry of State on Innovation and Public Administration of the Republic of Albania on capacity building in implementing the reforms in the area of good governance and public administration.
5. Agreement for Cross-Border Cooperation Partnership between the Republic of Kosovo and Republic of Albania.
6. Cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning of the Republic of Kosovo and the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Albania.
7. Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Economic Development of the Republic of Kosovo and the Ministry of Energy and Industry of the Republic of Albania.
Both Prime Ministers signed a joint statement.
The statement contains:
We, Prime Ministers of Republic of Kosovo and Republic of Albania, Isa Mustafa and Edi Rama, in capacity of the co-chairs of the Third Joint Meeting of both Governments;
Reaffirming the joint political will and commitment to strengthen comprehensive cooperation framework between our two countries with a view to creating an open space of interaction for people, ideas, capital, trade and innovation, as well as, any other area of common interest;
Based on the Joint Statement on Strategic Partnership and Cooperation, signed in Prizren in 2014; in the Joint Statement in the field of Regional Development in Cross-border areas Albania-Kosovo, signed in Tirana in 2015, and in numerous significant agreements, memorandums of cooperation and protocols signed since the meeting of Prizren, we have established a consolidated and important foundation to build joint policies in economy and trade, in the fields of energy, infrastructure, education, culture and the environment, etc. These policies are contributing to the expansion of space for comprehensive cooperation, strengthen our brotherly ties and consequently improve the quality of life of our citizens;
Noting with satisfaction that both countries have progressed and are in a new stage of higher bilateral cooperation, but also to relationships of regional, European cooperation and wider;
Welcoming the entry into force of the historic Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Kosovo and the European Union on 1 April 2016, and the European Commission’s recommendation for visa liberalization, which is expected to materialize soon that constitutes another major step to Kosovo on its irreversible European path.;
Assessing that admission of Kosovo in UEFA and FIFA is proof of continuity of successful integration into all international institutions and areas ensuring that in all these processes, the support of Albania to Kosovo has been and will continue to be generous and omnipresent;
Noting that Albania, for its part, is advancing so inherently to European path and in this regard has focused energies, at the national level for the implementation of reforms and preparing the next steps in the process of Albania’s membership in the European Union;
Expressing the aspirations of our two countries to vigorously continue engaging in deepening regional cooperation in the framework of the Berlin Process, in the creation and implementation of a cooperation agenda between the EU and the Western Balkan countries;
Aware that Albania and Kosovo have still many unused spaces to versatile development, it appears as a primary duty to make maximum and concrete efforts to exploit them in order to improve the lives of our citizens;
Aware of the so far achievements and implementing the reached agreements;
We agree, on behalf of our governments, to undertake concrete initiatives and commitments, as follows:
• Creating, within June 2016, a mechanism for implementation, follow-up and implementation of agreements and all commitments made so far between our two countries arising from the Strategic Partnership Document;
• Functioning, within July 2016, of all joint committees, according to the agreements reached, aiming their performance and progress of implementation;
• Drafting an agreed calendar and creating a mechanism for monitoring and implementation of all measures and commitments in real time, to move towards unifying the full market, both in trade and in priority areas such as transport and energy, and facilitation of export-import procedures, in view of the economic and trade cooperation as a model for our countries and region as a whole;
• Compilation of a unique list of joint projects for the development of cross-border zones;
• Establishing, within June 2016, of an inter-institutional mechanism for planning and identifying cross-border regional development projects between Albania and Kosovo;
• Commitment to identifying joint financial resources from third parties for the implementation of joint projects for the cross-border development;
• Ministries of Foreign Affairs and counterpart Ministries responsible for the Euro-Atlantic integration process and regional cooperation are encouraged to increase co-ordination to meet the obligations deriving from membership in Euro-Atlantic and regional organizations.
Then, Prime Minister Isa Mustafa and Prime Minister Edi Rama held press conference.
Finally, both delegations made a joint photo, before the National Library of Kosovo “Pjetër Bogdani”.
To honour the Albanian delegation, Prime Minister Isa Mustafa hosted them with a lunch.
Full speeches of Prime Minister Isa Mustafa and Prime Minister Edi Rama:
Prime Minister Isa Mustafa.
Dear Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, Mr. Edi Rama,
dear members of Government cabinets, allow me to open today the third joint meeting of our both governments.
Today I feel particularly happy and honoured to have the privilege to brotherly and cordially welcome you the Prime Minister, Mr. Edi Rama and all members of the Government Cabinet of the Republic of Albania in this meeting between the two governments.
I want to, initially with a warm welcome in your home – wish you all, that such meetings in future to become as common and our new history to be a normal story, in a region of integration mentality, prosperity, peace and stability.
Our meeting today is a proof that our countries, but also the entire region are becoming an active part of a progressive concept, not only political, that of European integration, and a universal concept, not only geo-strategic, but Euro-Atlantic integration.
We are aware and grateful for these historical advantages of the age in which we live, just as responsible as we are that, with our governments and ongoing commitments, we will use them to the benefit of citizens of both our countries.
Enhanced cooperation between our two governments is in the interests of our citizens, it is the national and state interest, so on that interest we will always find common ground to move our processes forward.
Dear guests,
I think that this is a good opportunity to thank your Government, you, dear Prime Minister, but also all relevant political institutions and all citizens of Albania for the brotherly and generous support you have provided during all relevant processes in which Kosovo has been challenged and is still challenged.
Supporting Kosovo, especially in the new recognitions by international important states and institutions and membership in European and world organizations, you are strengthening our unity and our country’s identity, but at the same time, are strengthening our fraternal identity.
Both our governments have a national and moral responsibility and obligation to unstoppable care for the fate of Albanians outside our countries. We gain, the right to carry out this national mission, always taking care, at the same time, for all citizens of our country regardless of their ethnicity, religion or language and for more respecting the diversity as our unique and enriched asset and value.
On this occasion, I wish to further encourage representatives of minority communities in Kosovo, especially the Serbs for their commitment to integrate and respect the laws of Kosovo, because we are all aware that this is a prerequisite for building a democratic, multiethnic Kosovo, with equal opportunities for all our citizens.
Dear Prime Minister Rama, dear guests,
We, in Kosovo, are coronating the great success in many areas, the achievements are evident and they continue. Entry into force of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement enabled us for the first time to have established contractual relations with the European Union. We received a recommendation for visa liberalization, we are accepted in international important institutions of sport, particularly in football, FIFA and UEFA. Last month, we also signed the agreement with EU Agency for Integrated Border Management, Frontex.
We are aware that all these achievements are also the result of assistance by the Albanian Government and relevant institutions of the Albanian state. We, in particular, rejoice when successes are achieved, no matter on which side, they are positively experienced in both sides.
We have made joint progress in the implementation of agreements signed in Prizren and in Tirana, they facilitated and are doing so our cooperation in trade, in security, in the field of education, culture, agriculture and other sectors.
400 kw interconnection project, will be soon finalized by Albania, and will make our energy systems complementary stemming from the natural resources of both our countries.
We are working together to advance the agenda of Berlin, by increasing cooperation with all countries of the Western Balkans.
The infrastructure that we have built specifically the motorway “Ibrahim Rugova” has revived tourism in both countries and has enriched the cultural, artistic exchange, and it enabled half a million Kosovars to visit Albania during a year.
In such meetings, of course that we have to mention the great support of the United States, which support is crowned with our freedom, democracy and independence, as well as, the overall development that we have since after the war.
This gratitude goes also for NATO, for the Western European countries and certainly to the European Union for supporting us currently and previously.
I believe that this meeting today, among others, will be to drive forward a qualitative process as well as necessary, the process of normalization of neighbourly relations in the Balkans. This is the European integration process, to which we are all committed to.
We are for dialogue with anyone and at any time, so we are for dialogue with Serbia. We think that the waiver of dialogue with the others is a return to the anti-historical monologue, isolation and exclusion of progressive processes that have brought us to this stage of development and this dimension of factoring and at this integration level among Albanians and European integration.
We are for good and normal neighborly relations with others, so we are correct in our approach to Montenegro, about the demarcation of the border. We do not consider that we are giving or taking any metre square to/from Montenegro, but only marking the previous administrative boundary and are transforming it into a borderline between two sovereign states.
The era in which we live has not only difficult challenges, but some of them are becoming destabilizing, threatening the way of life and to destabilize normal life. Extremism and religious radicalism are appearing among us with local specifications. For more, one of the pillars of our identity, religious tolerance and one of the foundations of our pro-Western political and cultural journey is being threatened. This evil threatening all of us is one more reason that our countries should continue to cooperate even more with each other.
Dear Prime Minister Mr. Edi Rama and you members of the Government cabinet of the Republic of Albania and Republic of Kosovo, dear all guests.
Our cooperation and approximation have not been better and more fraternal than in this era, because we now have our same political orientation, that Euro-Atlantic integration, have the same economic language, the free and competitive integration but also the state language, that of strengthening the rule of law, fighting organized crime and corruption. These are values and principles and concepts on which our two governments will continue to work aware that this is the best way to mobilize all our energies and civic imagination to bring our countries closer, to build stable relationships with our neighbors and to advance European integration processes in the interests of peace and stability in the region and more quality life for all our citizens regardless.
I thank you for your participation!
Prime Minister Edi Rama:
Keenly honoured Prime Minister Mustafa, honoured ministers of Kosovo and Albania, and fellow citizens and compatriots on both sides of our mountains.
In Prizren, a city where Albanians united affirmed their right to exist half a century ago, our governments began in 2014 a journey that has already created a new and remarkable cooperation opportunity.
Based on our policymaking on the reality of a common land, population and dream, we transformed the border from a large separating gap into a new bridge of cooperation that is strengthed day by day.
This cooperation resulted in the idea for creation of common energy space between Albania and Kosovo.
Within the next few weeks, we will gather in Tirana to functionalise the interconnection line that ultimately connects the energy highway between Albania and Kosovo and to open a new stage for developing this joint space.
On the other hand, a common strategic priority is the connection of Kosovo with TAP pipeline through the territory of Albania, thus putting our space in the main paths of the passage of energy in Europe.
During these two years, we created a common agricultural market by identifying standards and adapting methods of legislation in the field of food control.
We not only succeeded in finally making our children, of Albania and Kosovo, learn the native language with the same alphabet book, but we also unified pre-university system, our curricula, thus laying the foundation of a nationwide education.
On the other hand, we promoted more intensive university cooperation in the field of scientific research.
Common cultural calendar of Albania and Kosovo is already a reality where art and culture lovers move freely, using the extraordinary potential of this jointed space.
Within two years, we concretized many other cooperation agreements on tourism, environment, police or national security and I am glad to see with less envy the Kosovo Police, not because now is less good than it was when I used to say to take Kosovo as a model, but because now our police resembles much more to that of Kosovo and I believe that in this direction have helped cooperation and the force of the model of your excellent police
Our agreements, characterised for a long time by the absolute diplomatic support of the Albania and by mutual visits for feasts, honorary titles or any inauguration, have already entered a new historical stage of a strategic partnership in all aspects.
Therefore, the third meeting of our governments is a common work exercise to analyse what it has been achieved and not to program the following year.
It is the moment to go further because a lot has been done, but there is still a lot to be done.
In order to accelerate the initiated process of removing all non-tariff barriers, unifying all policies and strategies in all sectors, as well as to achieve our common ambition for consolidating the foundations of nationwide space in the region.
Results of the work to date are very encouraging. It suffices to note here that during the previous year, trade exchanges between our countries amounted for the first time to 200 million Euro, a figure that is still far from the figure of our interaction in the field of trade relations, but this put Kosovo for the first time as the second largest destination of Albanian exports, and a result of our common work to expand the space of trade cooperation.
The agreement to be signed today on joint custom investigation, and the agreement for border partnership, coordinates our efforts to formalize and integrate our economies.
Further steps being taken for establishing a custom point of Kosovo in the port of Durres, to harmonize excises, to unify prices of references for transports, as well as to create the green corridor for export-import of seasonal agricultural products, will undoubtedly give a new burst to the economic cooperation between our states.
Establishment of the youth training centre and unification of reforms in innovation and administration will make Albania and Kosovo to further expand inter-institutional cooperation, thus laying not only the basis for creation of a modern administration with unified standards and procedures according to the model of European Union, but also for a necessary interaction at the human level between all public servants in both our countries.
The announcement of Fierza Reservoir as a protected area of common interest constitutes the first step towards concrete development of a touristic cross-border platform.
Our purpose is to extend this cooperation along the whole basin where the Drin River passes and in cooperation with the Municipality of Gjakova, we induced the cross-border project of Alps.
For the first time, our countries already have a common strategy for protection of environment, joining for monitoring air, water and land quality, as well as for the protection of nature and administration of protected areas, as well as for sustainable use of our natural sources.
Albania and Kosovo have always been together in their good and bad days, but today, here in Prishtina, we will for the first time sign a platform sanctioning our cooperation in case of natural disasters.
Ladies and gentlemen, sisters and brothers
A few days ago, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly held a meeting in Tirana. Even though conflict in Ukraine, crisis of refugees and crisis of faith experienced by many European countries were main topics of agenda, not only representatives of Albania stated the need for institutionalizing the relations of NATO with Kosovo. Complex geopolitical context, influences of third actors in the region, as well as realization of the legitimate aim of Kosovo for transforming the Kosovo Security Forces into Kosovo Armed Forces imposes a new qualitatively renewed relationship with the Alliance and Albania is undoubtedly the strongest advocacy of Kosovo in the Alliance.
Joining our forces is a necessity. We should always be aware that we should be together to make our European partners fully understand and recognise as inevitable the need for rapid integration of Balkans, and not only as our need but as a strategic European project; not as a continuation of a bureaucratic integration process, but as a necessity for a safer Europe, with a fully integrated Balkans.
For many years, we joined our voice with your voice for the great injustice of isolating Kosovo, as the last European country and at the same time the newest European country that needed visa to travel to the continent. The news for visa liberalization freed all of us, but as well freed European Union from a big shame. The recognition of Kosovo by UEFA and FIFA in April opened a fully new chapter not only for Kosovo, but also for raising awareness of all who still see Kosovo with suspicion.
Our dream, national union through European Union, which is based on the policymaking based on reality and not emotions or needs to use poverty and discontent of peoples, fostering primitive nationalism, is a permanent inspiration. In the beginning of 1900, Isa Boletini stated that “the true diplomacy rests on the middle path which only those who know how to fulfil the rights and the needs of their homeland in terms of general policy find.” A century after, we can move forward with these words, committed for national union and to best describe the stance based on the reasons of our diplomacy and of our path towards the common dream of being united under the flag of European Union.
More than passions, realities make Albania committed towards Kosovo, with the unifying project of a population that is not any more fragmented, but at the same time of a Balkans that is not anymore fragmented, but unified by common synergies of comprehensive strategies in a terrain with coexistence.
The new era of relations between Albania and Serbia serves to this purpose that is vital for the region where we live, but as well for the right of the next generation in the whole region to live in peace, security and cooperation. On the one hand, Albania supports with no reserve the advancement of the dialogue of Kosovo with Serbia as a way to deepen cooperation in the region by imposing on us an increasingly close coordination. And on the other hand, we have encouraged and we will encourage your leadership to move forward with this courage in dialogue because it is a dialogue which, if for nothing else, exalts Kosovo, state-building awareness of Kosovo and vision of Kosovo as a country of peace and harmony between all in the eyes of all partners and friends of Kosovo.
In their journey towards obtaining full rights, the Albanians want most possible equilibrium and not disruption of equilibrium. However, we will not stop highlighting that full rights of Albanians in Macedonia and implementation, in spirit and letter, of the Ohrid Agreement is a necessity for a Macedonia which we wanted it to be strong, stable and part of all integrations, whether in the European Union or NATO.
On the other hand, we will not stop highlighting that the rights of Albanians of Preseva Valley should be respected in the same way as the rights of other minorities in Kosovo and Albania are respected. Anyone who wants to know how to respect the rights of Albanians in Preseva Valley, take the model of Kosovo in respecting the rights of Serbs in its territory.
Two years ago, on the occasion of 80th birthday of one of the greatest artists in our region, Bekim Fehmiu, me and the Prime Minister of Serbia joined together in a joint telegram, where each of us agreed on the point that whichever path that we choose to be together, that path would be one more asset for us. Until a short time ago, Albanians and Serbs, before entering the historical process of Berlin, would not be able to agree even on the text of a simple telegram for globally-known actor, whereas today we are able to agree for much more.
Berlin process is enabling the greatest reconciliation ever seen in Europe since the time when Germany and France left behind the bitter past and transformed themselves into two locomotives establishing the European Union. Under the France-Germany model, we believe that Albanians and Serbians can do the same thing for the Balkans and give an example for today Europe. On the other hand, we are convinced that Berlin process, lead by common road energetic or cultural corridors and which created excellent premises, cooperation bridges on the rivers of hate and the blood of the past is our greatest historic opportunity and we decided to not lose this opportunity because we cannot lose the right of the next generation to live in a region with a stronger economy and more politically decent, as well as more culturally admired.
Creation of a common market of countries of Western Balkans, a vision expressed by Albania in this process, will foster our countries in intensifying the cooperation between them to be more opened towards investments for removing all trade barriers in the whole region and by transforming the region in a interaction model, similar to two “drops of water,” with the interaction in the area of European Union, regardless of the fact that we are not members of the European Union and by facilitating the movement of the qualified labour force and professionals.
Dear friends.
We managed to do a lot and make real a lot of things which two years ago would only seem simple and propaganda. However, I am convinced that we can do more and much better.
Our bitter and divided past, decades of lack of communication, the spurt to discover the world and difficulties of transition in rebuilding our homes, made us separated frequently and for a long time. However, this cannot happen. Even the Summit of the Albanian Diaspora that we are organizing together with the Government of Kosovo in November in Tirana will be another opportunity that would enable the communication not only between us, but also with all of them that have lived outside Albania and Kosovo, and as emigrants did for Albania and Kosovo things that no one else could do.
Creation of bridges of recognition, communication and knowledge among Albanians throughout the world is a strategic investment which we will do more, together for our common future.
In closing my speech, I want to bring the words of a great linguist Maksimilian Lambertz, who stated that “The true history of mankind will be written only when Albanians are allowed to participate in writing it.” Today, here in Prishtina, nobody prevents us from becoming part of writing the new history of Balkans and Europe which is modern, democratic, equal for all, whether big or small, old or newer in European family. We must unanimously decide what to write and do everything to make everything we write in compliance with the reality which together we can, should and will build. Thank you very much!
Last modified: July 31, 2022