Tirana, 18 May 2016
During the visit to Albania, the Minister for Dialogue, Edita Tahiri, at the invitation of the European University of Tirana (UET) yesterday gave a lecture to students and professors of the university on the topic “Euro-Atlantic Integration and Dialogue of Brussels”.
Minister Tahiri was first hosted by the Rector prof. dr. Tonin Gjuraj and pro-rector Luljeta Minxhozi whom she thanked for the invitation and appreciated the role and contribution of the university in preparation of new cadres in the field of social – political, economic and legal studies.
In her speech, Minister Tahiri spoke of the Albanian nation and the development of relations between Kosovo and Albania in the context of promoting national interests. She said among other things that Albanians never agreed with injustice of violent separation of the Albanian nation and the Albanian lands, and our struggle has determined to turn the course of history in favour of the Albanian nation and justice for us. She said that Albanians found the strength and opted for freedom, independence, democracy and Western orientation and created historical alliance with the United States and the European Union. Today we have two states Albania and Kosovo and Euro-Atlantic joint vision and are working to strengthen our nation, including Albanians in the region and relations with diaspora. Minister Tahiri said that this is our century and we must use it to make the Albanians a leading nation in the region through our strategic investment to strengthen the law, economy and human capital through quality and modern education as well as through strategic joint projects.
Minister Tahiri then spoke about the Brussels dialogue, emphasizing that the dialogue is a contribution to peace, stability and good neighbourly relations, especially relations between the two states of Kosovo and Serbia which will be finalized with the mutual recognition between the two countries. War and peace processes are inevitable and while the war of the people of Kosovo has brought independence and the independent and sovereign Kosovo peace talks in Rambouillet, Vienna and now in Brussels are efforts to close the chapter of war and the establishment of a chapter of peace between the two states and nations
Minister Tahiri said that Brussels dialogue has made a significant contribution to the integration of Kosovo into the European Union, namely the achievement of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Kosovo and the EU and visa liberalization, because with this process we are fulfilling the requirement of European for good neighbourly relations with neighbouring countries.
Brussels dialogue has enabled the extent of state sovereignty in the northern part of the country, through suppression of the parallel structures of Serbia in Kosovo and integration of the Serb minority in Kosovo’s institutions, with mediation and guarantees of the EU and the US. Brussels dialogue allowed Kosovo to suppress the parallel structures of Serbia in Kosovo and so far we have managed to suppress the, parallel police, parallel justice structure, illegal paramilitary called “civil protection” and we put interstate border through the agreement of IBM placing state authorities in the two border crossings in northern border. Companies in northern part pay now customs duties to Kosovo we established state control by stopping crime of smuggling and tax evasion, and now will also build permanent buildings of IBM at six border crossing points between the two countries.
There will soon have new developments, Kosovo will get the country telephone code 383 for which commitments of the EU are maximum to force Serbia not to hinder further this issue and transmission system of energy (KOSTT), which became independent in October last year will soon begin implementation. Speaking for the Association of Serb-majority municipalities, she said that under the agreement, this structure will be in accordance with the laws and Constitution of Kosovo and will never have executive powers, while the statute will be drafted in full compliance with decision of the Constitutional Court, noting that the High Representative of the EU, Federica Mogherini reaffirmed this in her speech addressed to the Parliament of Kosovo in early May when he visited to congratulate Kosovo on visa liberalization. She noted that implementation of the agreement of telephone code and independence of KOSTT are conditions without implementing of which will not begin implementation of the agreement on association, while the same cannot be established without being suppressed completely all remaining parallel structures of Serbia in Kosovo.
Mrs. Tahiri in a part of the lecture also focused on the latest achievements of Kosovar sport after joining UEFA and FIFA considering them as a great achievement in sport and diplomacy of Kosovo.
Mrs. Tahiri spoke about the position of Albanians outside Kosovo and Albania, starting from the Albanians in Macedonia who politically have made progress but need more commitment to achieve the constitutive status, for the Albanians of the Presevo Valley where discrimination by Serbian state continues, and the Albanians of Montenegro.
Mrs. Tahiri said Kosovo and Albania should have a common program and do much more for the Albanians in the region and especially in the Presevo Valley. She said that at the meeting with Minister Bushati also discussed these issues.
Minister Tahiri was accompanied by Ramiz Lladrovci, Kosovo’s ambassador in Tirana, Enver Dugolli, and military attaché of the KSF, Arjeta Rexhaj and Gazmir Raci, political advisor to Minister Tahiri.
Last modified: 18 Maj, 2016