Prishtina, 24 April 2025
The acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, attended the reception organized by the Dutch Embassy in Kosovo, on the occasion of the celebration of King’s Day.
Congratulating our ally and friendly state of the Netherlands, Prime Minister Kurti said that the Netherlands has stood by Kosovo from the NATO intervention that stopped the genocide, to the recognition of our independence, the support of our integration into international organizations and development through the MANTRA program.
He emphasized the importance of the Netherlands and the city of Maastricht, where the most important reforms of the EU founding treaties took shape.
“The Maastricht Treaty paved the way for the euro – a currency that Kosovo shares and uses today. The Maastricht Treaty also introduced the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, which continues to guide the EU’s activities, both abroad and in relation to the Republic of Kosovo – through the EU Office/Representation in Kosovo, the normalisation dialogue, the EU Special Representatives, EULEX and many other initiatives and mechanisms.”
While highlighting the importance of the Netherlands in the fields of agriculture and technology with the production of semiconductor materials, Prime Minister Kurti said that the Golden Age of the Netherlands is not limited to its 17th century leadership, but continues to be reflected in the country’s extraordinary influence today and in the society that has flourished under King Willem-Alexander.
He went on to say that the Netherlands is a great source of inspiration, also as a founding member of important organizations of our generation and beyond, such as NATO and the EU. The Prime Minister concluded his speech by saying: “let this day serve to remember the Netherlands as a shining example of innovative leadership and shaping a future that is both bold and progressive.”
Full speech by Prime Minister Kurti:
Your Excellency Karin Boven, ambassador of Netherlands in the Republic of Kosova,
Your Excellency Ahtifete Jahjaga, ex-President of the Republic of Kosova,
Honorable Ambassadors, Heads of Missions, Chargé d’Affaires and representatives of Embassies,
Members of the Government and Parliament of our Republic,
Honorable ladies and gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure to stand before you today to celebrate King’s Day of our good ally and friend, the Netherlands. The Netherlands has stood by Kosova from the NATO intervention that halted the genocide, to recognizing our independence just weeks after its declaration on February 17th 2008, and supporting our integration into international organizations and development through the MANTRA program. We look forward to deepening political cooperation, expanding trade, and continuing to strengthen our bilateral ties.
I’ve had the privilege of visiting the Netherlands first time in 1998, as one of the student leaders of Kosova, going to the city of Maastricht and the University there. This visit holds great symbolic meaning, for it was here that the most significant reforms of the EU’s founding treaties took shape. The Maastricht Treaty paved the way for the Euro—a currency that today, Kosova shares and uses as its own. The Maastricht Treaty also introduced the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, which continues to guide EU actions, both abroad and in relation to the Republic of Kosova—through the EU Office/Representation in Kosova, the normalization dialogue, the EUSR, EULEX, and many more initiatives and mechanisms.
The Dutch Golden Age isn’t confined to its 17th-century leadership; it continues to be reflected in the country’s remarkable influence today—and in the vibrant society that has thrived under His Majesty King Willem-Alexander, whose birthday we celebrate today.
But my admiration for the Netherlands goes far beyond politics. It is hard to think of this country without mentioning the names which opened our senses and in particular Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Van Gogh, pillars of culture and art. And for those of us who are old enough to have enjoyed football since the previous century, we know that before Beckham made waves in Manchester, there was Bergkamp at Ajax.
From our early adolescence, we here in Kosova may not remember the brand of our first stereo, but we certainly can’t forget the second one we got—and wore out at the expense of our neighbors—which, of course, was from Philips.
Consider Dutch agriculture. With a population of 18 million people, the Netherlands is the world’s third-largest exporter of agricultural products, trailing only the United States and, of last year, Brazil as well. In fact, it ranks ahead of major economies like China, India, Germany, Canada, and Japan. That is truly remarkable.
Finally, I must mention also Netherlands leadership in the semiconductor space. While the Netherlands may not be the largest producer of semiconductors, it produces the most advanced technology for creating them, which makes the country an important voice in the current tech landscape.
Netherlands, a founding member of both, NATO and EU, the most important organizations not only of our generation, is a great source of inspiration. But even where you wouldn’t expect. For example, after the general elections, Dutch political parties took nearly six months to form a government. Perhaps the inspiration here runs deep and wide indeed. Yet, we are working hard these days and hours to do better, to do much better. And as you have noticed, the day in Kosova is not 24 hours, it is 48 hours.
Ladies and gentlemen, as we celebrate King’s Day, let us remember the Netherlands as a shining example of what it means to inspire others, to lead with innovation, and to shape a future that is both bold and forward-thinking. And of course to more bridges and flowers, and windmills that we need in life and politics alike.
Thank you, and Happy King’s Day!
Last modified: April 25, 2025