Brussels, 3 August 2016
The delegation of the Republic of Kosovo, headed by Minister for Dialogue, Edita Tahiri, stayed in Brussels in the new round of talks invited by the European Union in order to unblock the process of implementation of agreements reached on 25 August 2015, which are blocked by Serbia for almost a year.
This round of talks has been very long and lasted over nineteen (19) hours. Despite the fact that these negotiations have been very difficult, but in a constructive atmosphere mediated by the EU Director for Western Europe and the Balkans, Ms. Angelina Eichhorst, there has been progress in unlocking the agreements in the field of removal of barricades from the bridge over the river Iber in Mitrovica and obtaining national dialling code for Kosovo Minister Tahiri stated.
The commitment of the European Union in these negotiations has been the utmost so that these two issues finally be implemented and the EU’s position has been clear that the parties must meet their obligations, stressing that this dialogue is for the good neighbourhood and is a condition to both countries on their way to European integration.
The delegation of the Republic of Kosovo has been fully engaged in the protection of national interests, considering that national dialling code for Kosovo has a great importance in the field of telecommunications, especially in terms of international sovereignty in telecom. Minister Tahiri stressed that on the issue of telephone code for Kosovo, talks have progressed and in the next days will be held the next meeting which will conclude the issue of the state code for Kosovo.
Minister Tahiri considered that the commitment of the working group on telecom, headed by Kreshnik Gashi, head of the state working group on issues of telecommunications in Brussels dialogue has been maximum, and has shown high state competence and responsibility for strict implementation of telecom agreement that enables Kosovo telephone code +383 and soon is expected ITU to allocate it to Kosovo.
This round of talks also focused on the issue of unblocking the agreement to remove the barricade and revitalization of the bridge of Mitrovica where talks lasted until the early hours of today morning. The purpose of these talks was that as soon as possible to begin the process of revitalization of the bridge and the European Union’s attitude was clear that this issue cannot be delayed further, and according to them revitalization must start before 15 August 2016.
In the context of discussions on practical steps of revitalization it was highlighted that the agreement reached on 25 August 2015 must be fully implemented, in other words, the bridge of Mitrovica to function and serve as a bridge for movement and unfettered access of people and vehicles according to the plan agreed in Brussels dialogue. The assessment was shared by three parties that opening of the bridge for free movement will be a symbol of the normalization of relations between communities and this bridge will finally perform its function as any bridge in the world that unites people.
The delegation led by Minister Tahiri was composed also by Gazmir Raci, political advisor and political coordinator for the telecom, Kreshnik Gashi, Chairman of the Board of the Regulatory Authority of Electronic and Postal Communications (RAEPC), Shqiprim Pula, member of the Board of RAEPC Ilir Imeri, head of the Department of Electronic Communications, Visar Halimi, director of the Department of Frequency in RAEPC Rexhë Gjonbalaj, chairman of the Board of Telecommunications of Kosovo (TK), Mehdi Latifaj, technical director at TK and Zana Bejta, head of Legal Office in IPKO.
Last modified: 3 Gusht, 2016