Prishtina, 17 November 2011
The address of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, in today’s session of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, in reference to some recent statements in the political scene of Kosovo in favor of exchange of territories and related to the issue of integrated management of state borders
Honorable President of the Assembly,
Honorable MPs
Honorable members of the Government Cabinet
Before I refer to the approval of the budget as part of our engagements, allow me to first dwell on two important issues for the citizens of the country, for our state and for respecting of the Constitution and the laws of the Republic of Kosovo.
Honorable President of the Assembly,
Honorable MPs
Honorable members of the Government Cabinet
Honorable citizens of the Republic of Kosovo
International friends
We have witnessed a firm determination by the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo in a very close cooperation with all the international authorities, KFOR, EULEX, the European Union, the United States of America to fully implement constitutionality and lawfulness throughout the entire territory of Kosovo.
Surprisingly, over the last few days, we have heard statements by certain public personalities from different political parties who see giving of that part of the territory of the Republic of Kosovo to Serbia, changing or borders or exchanging of territories as an option to solving the problem in the north of Mitrovica.
Of course that I express the concern of the Government over these surprising ideas that are in contradiction of the Constitution and the laws of Kosovo and I also present the concern of the international friends over these ideas that are in contradiction with the position of the Assembly of Kosovo, the Government and all the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo and in contradiction of the will of the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo and all the international documents on Kosovo.
I want to point out one more time that Kosovo has been recognized by 86 states and its territorial integrity is internationally respected and guaranteed.
Therefore, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, I express my concern and the concern of many international friends, who have raised this issue with the Government of Kosovo in relation to some recent ideas by certain individuals in the political scene of Kosovo.
My question in this respect, also on behalf of the Government of Kosovo, is to know whether these are positions of certain political parties or just individual opinions.
I am in favor of free expression of opinions, new ideas, free thoughts, but at the same time I think that it would be good if the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo could give an answer to all these issues raised recently.
The Government of Kosovo will continue to fully respect the Constitution and the laws of Kosovo for the full respect of the territorial integrity of Kosovo and of course no corner of the territory of the Republic of Kosovo will ever be given to Serbia.
Division of the territory of Kosovo is a very dangerous idea
The second issue is that on the integrated management of state borders. The idea of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo on integrated management of state borders is in full compliance with the Constitution of Kosovo, with the laws of Kosovo, and I would invite all of you, very kindly, as colleagues, to read it attentively, because it is a European model that we have ourselves approved.
And I would like to highlight the importance not to mix the integrated border management with border issues.
The integrated border management is this. So, this law is to be implemented without any prejudice in relation to the mandates of the international organizations, as it is foreseen by the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo.
Integrated border management implies national and international cooperation and coordination amongst all the relevant authorities in establishing effective integrated border management in order to meet objectives for open, well-controlled and safe borders.
Also, distinguish it from the demarcation which implies border lines between two neighboring countries.
Thank you!
Last modified: July 31, 2022