Prishtina, 21 May 2010
On the second day of his official visit to Turkey, Prime Minister Thaçi and the Kosovo delegation were hosted in Istanbul by Turkish President Abdullah Gul. The Prime Minister also held a meeting with Turkish investors, organized by the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), and he met with the Deputy Mayor of Istanbul, Ergun Turan.
The Prime Minister, in his meeting with President Abdullah Gul, expressed the willingness of the Kosovo institutions to expand bilateral cooperation and he considered Turkey as a friendly state and a strategic partner for Kosovo.
President Abdullah Gul of Turkey commended the role of the new state of Kosovo as an important factor in promoting regional peace, stability and good neighborly relations. He also emphasized Turkey’s commitment to support Kosovo in all aspects, with a special focus on supporting economic development, education and culture.
The Prime Minister also held a meeting with Turkish investors, organized by the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK). The Prime Minister mentioned Kosovo’s investment opportunities and he re-emphasized the Government’s commitment to establishing a friendly environment for foreign investment in Kosovo. He stated, “The Government has taken concrete steps to create real conditions and opportunities to attract foreign investment to Kosovo. The role and the contribution of the Turkish investors who have invested and are investing in Kosovo are of special importance for sustainable economic development in Kosovo,” and he welcomed Turkish investors to invest in Kosovo.
At Istanbul Municipality, Prime Minister Thaçi was received by Deputy Mayor Ergun Turan. The Prime Minister pointed out his interest in direct cooperation with the metropolitan city of Istanbul, which he mentioned as an important economic and strategic center. He said, “Due to its political and economic position, Istanbul is one of the most important cities in the world. The Republic of Kosovo wants to have direct relations with Istanbul,” and he also mentioned Kosovo’s willingness to have a twinning project between Istanbul and a Kosovo municipality.
The Prime Minister also noted that the Kosovo institutions are ready to develop links and cooperation with producers and institutions in Istanbul, in the commercial, technical and educational aspects.
Deputy Mayor Turan thanked the Prime Minister and the Kosovo delegation for their visit and he briefed them on ongoing projects and investments in Istanbul. The Istanbul Deputy Mayor also gave Prime Minister Thaçi an Istanbul history book and a plaque of an Istanbul cultural site, and he noted that Istanbul was selected as Europe’s cultural city for 2010.
Yesterday, on the first day of their visit to Turkey, the state delegation led by the Prime Minister met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and other members of the Turkish Cabinet.
Last modified: July 31, 2022