Prishtina, 10 January, 2024
Dear Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Dear citizens of the Republic of Kosovo,
We are happy to meet at the first regular meeting for 2024. This is a new year according to the calendar, but also with a lot of work that awaits us ahead.
As long as we commit ourselves every day, that the unjust measures of the European Union towards Kosovo will come to an end, we are very happy that at the beginning of this year, the most unjust and longest measure that the European Union practically had on the citizens of our Republic came to an end the visa regime.
We were the last and only country in the Balkans and Europe that could not move freely beyond neighboring countries. That regime, in spite of the holiday wishes, promises and compromises, nevertheless crossed all previous governments. We should all rejoice at the end of this era. The victories, successes and achievements of this month, first of all, belong to the state of Kosovo, from which the citizens of our country benefit first and foremost, and who in fact, at the same time, are the most deserving.
So, let’s move forward, with the mood and optimism of the month of January, with the commitment and determination of these three years of our good and democratic governance and at the same time let’s do this naturally, towards new results and next achievements.
However, despite the positive and progressive changes for our country, this year we are also inheriting an old neighbor, which is deteriorating.
Last week, two citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, Hasan and Xhavit Dakaj, were stopped and arrested at the border with Serbia. Even today, Hasan Dakaj continues to be held there unjustly and arbitrarily. This is not the first time, nor is it an isolated case. This is deliberate malicious behavior of Serbia, which contradicts international conventions on human rights.
Serbia continues to detain another citizen of the Republic of Kosovo, Nezir Mehmetaj. Held by Serbian authorities for allegedly committing crimes against the civilian population during the war in Kosovo. Nezir Mehmetaj has been in custody for months without an indictment, in violation of the laws of Serbia itself, findings that the Fund for Humanitarian Rights in Serbia has also highlighted.
Petrit Dula had been imprisoned based on the decision of the court of first instance in Belgrade, despite the fact that the witness in his case has denied that Dula is the author of the crime, even when he was questioned by the authorities in Podgorica in 2011.
The Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, in light of good neighborly relations and in light of the path of normalization of relations between our two countries, had requested the transfer of Petrit Dula and Neziraj Mehmetaj from the authority of Serbia. We have never received an answer, only news about the continuation of the judicial process against two of our citizens.
Dear citizens,
On February 27, 2023, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, declared that the Basic Agreement between the two parties, Kosovo and Serbia, had been reached. This Agreement is guided by the principles protected by the United Nations Convention, in particular those of respect for independence and territorial integrity, the right to self-determination, protection and human rights and non-discrimination. Especially, in Article 1 of the Agreement, that is, from the very beginning, it is emphasized that the parties, that is, Kosovo and Serbia, will develop good neighborly relations with each other, based on equal rights.
Serbia, however, chooses almost everything over developing good neighborly relations with us. She, in fact, chooses to attack Kosovo, as she did on September 24, 2023 in Banjska of Zveçan, and then to protect the perpetrators of this terrorist act, led by Millan Radojçiq, from imprisonment.
Serbia is not a danger as seen and known only for our citizens, our security, and regional stability in the Balkans. It has recently proved that it poses a danger to its citizens, especially to those who have the courage to admit that through an apology for the genocide of Serbia in Kosovo, they build a basis for the development of good peaceful relations and reconciliation. This is the case with the Serbian opposition leader, Nikola Sandulloviq, Chairman of the Republican Party there, for whom, in addition to physical torture against him, the Serbian state chooses to indict him for inciting national hatred, because he bowed before the grave of 7-year-old Blerina Jashari, killed by Serbian forces in Prekaz, in March 1998.
The treatment of Nikola Sandulloviq by the Security and Information Agency of Serbia speaks to the mentality that our neighbor cultivates within himself. Anti-democratic ways, behaviors and actions reflect the bitter reality there, a country where free speech is not recognized, conventions for the protection of human and minority rights do not apply, and where with fear and violence attempts are made to defeat the opposition and every voice that opposes the autocratic power of Aleksandër Vuçiq. Serbia is the country where Millan Radojçiq, responsible for the terrorist attack in Banjska, instead of answering to the law enforcement authorities, participates in the brutal beating of Nikola Sandulloviq.
Conveyed in the light of human rights violations and every peaceful opposition voice, Serbia continues the journey towards Putin’s methods from intimidation to inhumane torture of political opponents, in the opposite direction to the obligations within the framework of the Basic Agreement for the normalization of relations between our two countries, they are further and further away from the values of the European Union and European and Euro-Atlantic integration, which even in theory they claim less and less.
Thank you for your attention, now we are continuing with the previous agenda items for today’s meeting.
Last modified: January 10, 2024