Honorable media representatives,
Dear citizens,
First I would like to thank Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, and Senator Peter Welch of Vermont, for coming to Kosova, and for expressing their solidarity with our country, our people after the terrorist attack of September 24th. Above all, I would like to thank them for their long history of support for Kosova. Especially after the attack, that support has become even more important for our country’s security.
Kosova’s security was, indeed, the main topic of our conversation. I presented to the senators the latest information on what we know about Serbia’s involvement in the September 24 attack, in which our fallen hero, Afrim Bunjaku, was killed. Our evidence proves, irrefutably, that the involvement of Serbian state took place at least in four layers — namely, the Presidency, the Intelligence Service, the Ministry of Defense and the Serbian Armed Forces — in inspiring, preparing, supplying and participating in the terrorist attack in the village of Banjskë.
We also have evidence that we have shared with our partner the attack had been part of a larger plan to annex the entire north of Kosova, via a coordinated assault on 37 distinct positions. This was to be followed by the establishment of a corridor to Serbia, to enable the continuous supply of arms and troops to the north of Kosova.
We cannot bring Afrim Bunjaku back to his family and his country. But we must work together with our allies — especially the United States — to do everything in our power to prevent more attacks in the future, and to prevent any further attempts to violently annex the north of Kosova. That requires security for Kosova, and condamnation for Serbia.
Our security and intelligence institutions have detected an increased risk of violent attacks by Serbian criminal structures in Kosova. The ultimate goal of these groups is to blame the Kosova Police and portray it as an oppressive force against Serbs.
This, of course, is not the case and will never happen. I am Prime Minister of all citizens of Kosova and of all communities of our country. Therefore all these destabilization attempts must stop now. It is time for Serbia to be held accountable. Otherwise, its attacks and aggressive conduct will keep recurring — again and again.
I also informed the senators that the EU-facilitated dialogue cannot simply continue as if nothing has happened. We can not go back to business as usual in the status quo ante. The next chapter of normalization dialogue must now take into account Serbia’s aggressive actions and its revealed intention to annex the north of Kosova.
Aside from sanctions to deter further aggression by Serbia, a number of basic steps must be taken in order for the dialogue to have even a chance to succeed. And I believe, here it is of utter importance to have a balanced approach including notifying and condemning every breach or violation of Basic Agreement that we have achieved on 27th of February in Brussels and of its implementation annex on 18th of March, this year.
It is now more urgent than ever that Serbia stops saying it will not recognize independent Kosova, publicly reverse its rejection of the parts of the Basic Agreement which have to do with de facto recognition of Kosova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. This is absolutely necessary for our country’s security going forward.
Once again, I thank the senators for our constructive discussion, and I look forward to working with them — and with the Biden Administration — to ensure Kosova’s security, and to put an immediate end to further potential aggressive acts and destabilizing attempts.
Thank you.
Last modified: October 13, 2023