The following is the full speech made by Prime Minister Thaçi at the meeting of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo
Honorable deputy prime ministers
Honorable ministers
Honorable government cabinet
Allow me to open this regular meeting of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, with just one point on the agenda, the approval of the signing of the First Agreement on principles regulating the normalization of relations between the Republics of Kosovo and of Serbia, approximated on April 19, 2013 by the prime ministers of both countries.
As you are aware, after long negotiations, initially on a technical basis and led by Deputy Prime Minister, Ms. Edita Tahiri, and followed at a high political level, by the prime ministers of the two states, we reached a conclusion after ten rounds, which approximated our positions in order to reach an agreement, the first agreement on principles regulating the normalizing of relations between the states of Kosovo and of Serbia.
These meetings, these talks, these negotiations, were not at all easy; indeed, they have been extraordinarily difficult, but we went to Brussels determined, with the full authorization of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo by the Resolution issued by the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo last October, and entirely committed and responsible regarding the upholding of the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo, the laws of Kosovo and naturally, to the triumph of Euro-Atlantic values in the region.
At the start, allow me to thank all of you for your support, goodwill and complete trust. I thank the coalition parties for the great responsibility they have demonstrated regarding this extremely sensitive issue, which is both necessary and essential for Kosovo and the region.
On this occasion, I would like to express my thanks to the AAK opposition party, whose deputy leader Shala participated in this process. Also, I want to thank the LDK leader, Mr. Mustafa and LDK for enabling me to inform them continually on a regular basis, with reports and updates, as well as for their support for this process and for the first agreement on principles regulating the normalizing of relations between the states of Kosovo and Serbia.
I thank the AKR president, Mr. Pacolli. I am also grateful to the Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the SLS, Mr. Petrovic, for his participation and extraordinarily important role. In addition, I thank Mr. Yagcillar his personal contribution, and the role and contribution of the Six Plus parliamentary group. In short, I want to thank you all.
I express my thanks to the media for their correct reporting and coverage of the meetings held in Brussels. So, I am grateful to all those who supported this process, but at the same time, I fully understand the critics, who often raised their concerns, and whose questions assisted this process and made us even more attentive.
At the same time, I would like to publicly thank all the deputies of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo in government and opposition, who in the emergency plenary session held last night on April 21, 2013, following my report as Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo about the first agreement on general principles for normalizing relations between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Serbia, approximated on April 19, 2013, gave the massive support, we can say, of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo to this agreement, with a two thirds majority and the support of 90 votes from deputies in government and opposition.
Therefore, I thank every deputy and respectively, the parliamentary groups of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, the Democratic League of Kosovo, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, the AKR Coalition, and the SLS parliamentary groups, and deputies from all the communities which are individually represented in the Assembly, and the Six Plus parliamentary group. Like never before, all deputies demonstrated their unity and political and state responsibility for the future of a new Kosovo, a European Kosovo.
Last night, the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, with powerful unanimity, and I re-emphasize with deputies’ massive support, approved the resolution proposed by the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, which expressed its support and gave the consent of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, for the signing of the first agreement on the principles that regulate the normalization of relations between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Serbia.
Now, based on our constitutional and legal authority we are here today in the Government meeting, and once again I reiterate after all rounds of meetings we held in Brussels, our thanks for the outstanding contribution of Baroness Ashton, who approximated the positions of the two states to achieve the peace agreement.
I would like to thank all the European Union countries that supported Baroness Ashton and this agreement, for the united support of all 22 countries that have recognized independence and five others that are in the process of recognition.
I would also like to thank NATO for the pledge it has made regarding implementation, and I thank above all the United States of America which stood by us, and gave us such strong support. I thank President Obama who was constantly informed about the process, and also the direct involvement of Vice President Biden at the meeting held in Rome, and, at the same time, I am grateful for the public support of Secretary John Kerry.
I would also like to thank the United Nations Secretary General for the support given to this process.
Now in the coming days, the implementation periods and actors must be clarified. The implementing actors will be the Kosovo institutions, EULEX, and NATO in a facilitating role, with regard to the responsibilities Serbia has undertaken in the agreement to stop financing structures there and also, to carry out its responsibilities according to the agreement, and to facilitate the complete dissolution of all illegal security structures.
What I want to say, once again, honorable members of the government Cabinet, and respected citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, is that this agreement fully upholds the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Kosovo, and neither the Constitution nor laws will be altered at all.
The agreement is constitutional, it is legal, and it has the support of the Assembly; and, so the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, by working and taking decisions on Kosovo’s European future, and good-neighborliness with Serbia and with all countries in the region, and being totally committed to working toward Kosovo’s full integration into NATO, the EU, the OSCE and the United Nations, respects the approval granted by the Assembly of Kosovo for this agreement.
So today, we are gathered to approve the decision of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo to approve the signing of the first agreement on principles governing the normalization of relations between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Serbia, approximated on April 19, 2013 by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia.
Thus, the Government of the Republic of Kosovo supports the pledges contained in this agreement.
We have discussed it for a long time in the Assembly; we have discussed it in other environments and forums and other institutions of the Republic of Kosovo.
I would like to thank everyone for their support; I thank the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo for the patience, trust and support they have shown. So now, the remaining challenge is implementation, in which we must all be engaged.
In this case, I want to call on all citizens in the north, not to be frightened of this agreement. This agreement is in their interests; it is in the interest of peace and stability, it is in the interest of cooperation, it is in the interest of economic development, the creation of new jobs, it is in the interest of improving social welfare, it is in the interest of security, it is in the interest of today’s generation, of children, it is in the interest of our children’s children, it is in the interest of the future, is in the interest of the region, it is in the interest of the EU, it is in the interest of the Euro-Atlantic values that the region lacks.
I am very conscious that it is not easy to end a century of conflict.
But we are ending it with a free, independent, sovereign Kosovo, a state internationally respected and honored, secure in its Euro-Atlantic integration process.
Kosovo is the homeland of all its citizens, regardless of ethnicity, and so we are taking on our responsibilities to build the state of Kosovo on the basis of civic democracy.
I invite you to approve, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, the signing of the first agreement on the principles regulating the normalization of relations between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Serbia.
Who is for? No one is against.
Thank you very much.
Then, allow me to close this meeting of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, thanking you for your support.
Last modified: July 31, 2022