October 26, 2023
The Republic of Kosova has accepted the EU-proposed Basic Agreement of February 27, 2023 and the Ohrid Implementation Annex of March 18, 2023. These agreed-upon documents are a joint success with the European Union. The basic agreement must be implemented in its entirety, without conditions, without delays.
In today’s meeting with the Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz; the President of France, Emmanuel Macron; the Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni; the President of the European Council, Charles Michel; the Vice President of the European Commission and the High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security, Josep Borrell, as well as his emissary, Miroslav Lajcak, Prime Minister Kurti thanked all of them for their role, commitment and contribution to peace and normalization of relations between the Republic of Kosova and Serbia.
Prime Minister Kurti emphasized that, after the attack of aggression of September 24, in Zveçan, the priority for him is security in Kosova, in particular the security of the border with Serbia, since the paramilitaries who carried out the terrorist and criminal attack came from the other side, killing and injuring Kosova police officers. Sanctions and punishment are necessary for Serbia, so that this never happens again.
The investigation of the paramilitary and terrorist group sponsored by Serbia must determine exactly who did what, and how they executed this act of aggression, whereas there is no longer any dilemma even among international actors about the culprit.
Prime Minister Kurti emphasized that Kosova is a champion in rule of law in the Western Balkans, which has also been proclaimed by the prestigious international organization World Justice Project. The terrorist paramilitary group of Milan Radoicic, and the others responsible, should be extradited to Kosova, where there would be a just and fair trial, even more so when it is known that the justice system in Kosova and judicial processes are monitored by the European Union Rule of Law Mission, EULEX.
Prime Minister Kurti recalled that he was ready to sign in Brussels on 27 February 2023, in Ohër on 18 March 2023, and tonight, on 26 October 2023, emphasizing that precisely the European Council Summit in Brussels is the right occasion, in the right place, to sign the Basic Agreement, including as well the draft offered by the EU and U.S. for implementing Article 7, in connection with Article 10, of the Basic Agreement. Against this generous offer of Prime Minister Kurti, the President of Serbia, Vucic, has refused to sign the agreement with Kosova, and requested the acceptance of a side letter that would practically
nullify the three principles of the Basic Agreement, the Implementation Annex, and the draft proposed by the five emissaries on 21 October 2023.
For its democratic and economic progress, Prime Minister Kurti said that Kosova deserves the status of candidate country for the EU, and so also the joining of the five remaining European Union states with the 22-state majority, in recognizing Kosova’s independence. Meanwhile, border security for Kosova, together with the collective security of the Western Balkan region, qualitatively increased through the Agreement on Partnership for Peace with NATO, toward Kosova’s membership in the North Atlantic alliance.
At the end of the meeting, Prime Minister Kurti said: Acceptance entails a signature; only a signature entails acceptance and guarantees implementation.
Last modified: October 26, 2023