CNN: I spoke with Kosovo Prime Minister, Albin Kurti and I began by asking if Vladimir Putin should be tried for war crimes?
Prime Minister Kurti: These horrible crimes that we all see happening in eastern Ukraine are definitely war crimes and is up to investigators to also prove crimes against humanity and genocide. So, I believe that Kremlin has been ordering all of this war machinery into these crimes against unarmed civilians, and at the same time, he should be facing sooner or later. Tribunal International Tribunal.
CNN: And Kosovo, like Ukraine has not been granted NATO membership. So do you agree with Zelinsky’s comments that NATO appeasement of Russia or indecision over membership of countries have left Ukraine unprotected and do you fear the same for your own country?
Prime Minister Kurti: Ukraine needs some more help from NATO and from the very beginning we have supported Ukrainian people in their Liberation struggle, and we have expressed our admiration and solidarity with the resilience of Ukrainian people and leadership of President Zelesky. At the same time, we have condemned Russian invasion and military aggression. But we are, well aware that NATO represent security for every of its members. Kosova is still not a member of NATO, but we have NATO within Kosova. Towards NATO membership, our goal is to first get into Partnership for Peace Programme. NATO turned 73 year-old today, and I remember very well 23 years ago, when NATO turned 50, was amidst a bombardment of Miloshevic’s Yugoslavia and Serbia, whose forces military, police and paramilitary forces were committing genocide against of Albanian people. Back then, 860,000 Albanians were expelled from the Kosova. Over 80% of population were expelled from their homes. We have 20,000 women and girls being raped. Over 12,000 unarmed civilians being killed and 120,000 houses have been destroyed or burned down. So NATO intervened to stop the genocide and part of the history of Kosova is NATO, but at the same time Kosova is part of the history of NATO. We want to join NATO and the sooner the better.
CNN: Are you concerned that fear of Russian retaliation will essentially block Kosovo from joining NATO in the short medium term?
Prime Minister Kurti: I don’t think that Russia can block us. Yet within NATO, we have for non-recognizes of our independence, Spain, Slovakia, Romania and Greece, and I hope that they are going to change their mind and join the rest of 26 members of NATO who recognized independence of Kosova and in this way, enable us to become members of NATO too.
CNN: Are you preparing for a scenario whereby Serbia sees the conflict in Ukraine as an opportunity, perhaps backed by Russia to stoke conflict, in your region or perhaps even as an excuse to attack your country?
Prime Minister Kurti: Serbia wants European money, Russian guns, Chinese investments and American tolerance. But Serbia is not neutral. Serbia is on the side of Russian Federation, that’s why we have to be vigilant. They have 42 forward operating bases around Kosova. We are not afraid. We have added 52% of the budget for our defense, but at the same time, we have to be very careful because they might play the role of a proxy in the western Balkans of Russian Federation. At the same time, we never forget that in 2008 when we declare independence on 17th of February, three weeks before that Gazprom bought majority of shares for oil industry of Serbia, and on the other hand only six months after, in the same year 2008 Russian Federation, annexed South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation has a special office within the ministry of Defence of Serbia. So now after Russian Blitzkrig in Ukraine failed, we are worried that they might try to spread, expand the conflict and Western Balkans could be a place where new Russian battlegrounds can develop by their proxies, be that Serbia or Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
CNN: Do you feel confident that your government in your position is secure from Russian interference? Because you are a country that would like to join NATO – I think of Montenegro in 2016 – Are you concerned about government interference?
Prime Minister Kurti: We have hybrid war in Western Balkans because there is a “Russian humanitarian Centre” in Nis in Serbia, only 100 miles far away from Prishtina. At the same time, we have seen that hybrid war is no substitution for war, it is just its preparatory phase. That’s why we are worried and vigilant, but again, we are not afraid because with our partners in NATO, especially with United States, Germany, UK, France, and Italy, we know that in Kosova you do not defend only the people of Kosova, but at the same time, you defend, NATO, since NATO is well integrated within architecture of security of our country.
CNN: What are you doing to buttress your defenses against hybrid warfare or actual warfare in the event of a spill over conflict?
Prime Minister Kurti: We are increasing our capacities of our army. The budget for our defense has been increased by 52% for 2022. At the same time, we are increasing our capacities of our police, and our intelligence and cooperation with NATO countries.
Last modified: August 11, 2022