Prishtina, 17 March 2026
Dear excellency, Mr. Aivo Orav, Head of the EU Office in Kosova,
Madam Speaker of the Parliament, Albulena Haxhiu,
Honorable ministers of the Government and members of Parliament,
Mayor of Pristina, Mr. Rama,
Dear ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic missions in Kosova,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It has been a real pleasure having Mr. Orav here as the Head of the EU Mission and Ambassador in Kosova. I want to thank you for your leadership, for your friendship, and above all for your partnership.
From Progress Reports to IPA funds, advancing the Growth Plan, and the lifting of the unjust measures, your support has demonstrated a firm commitment to bringing the European Union and Kosova closer to each other.
You have treated Kosova as a genuine partner, which we deeply appreciate. Your engagement reflected both your personal dedication and the steady engagement of the European Union.
As you all know, I belong to a party called VETËVENDOSJE!, meaning self-determination, and negotiations are not something we are particularly known for enjoying. Yet, through this partnership with the European Union, especially during Mr. Orav’s short mandate, they have started to sort of grow on me.
Of course, we have had our share of disagreements along the way, sometimes on the order of steps and sometimes on the timing of actions, but never about our same goals or our common values. In diplomacy, I have come to understand that a certain level of disagreement is often simply another form of cooperation.
Coming from a country with experiences not so distant from ours, you understood, Mr. Orav, Kosova as it is, aligned with EU values, aligned with its foreign policy, and invested in a shared future. That is why our exchanges were always direct, and our meetings productive. Through you, we experienced a better European Union.
Ambassador Orav, you have shown that diplomacy is not only about robust structures, talking points and repetitive courtesy. The human agency matters just as much, and that is something you brought into our cooperation. Ambassador, you treated the people of Kosova as citizens and individuals, not as case files, dry statistics, or abstract counterparts, and that gave our cooperation a foundation of trust and a sense of sincerity.
We also look forward to continuing our cooperation in the same spirit with Ms. Eva Palatova and with others who will follow her, building on the standard you have set.
Kosova, in your work, was not just a partner for internal reforms, it was a partner in building a stronger Europe in the Western Balkans. Perhaps it is precisely these mutual perspectives that remind us how essential the unity of our continent is for security, democracy and prosperity.
Your diplomatic mandate here was short and has come to an end, yet the friendship we have built will last long. Wherever your next assignments take you, friendly Kosova will love to host you back, eventually again as a diplomat and certainly always as a valuable friend.
Upon his arrival, Ambassador Orav gave me as a present a book, which was a collection of short stories, and in our yesterday’s farewell meeting he brought me again as a present, a novel. This is how I shall always remember your legacy: a series of short stories turning into a nice organic novel.
Ambassador, allow me to recall a note you wrote in the book you kindly gave me yesterday, which says: “We are sharing a similar sad history. I am sure that we will share a happy future.” This captures more than a personal reflection; it’s the essence of the relationship we have developed, rooted in understanding and united in purpose.
Thank you for your contribution, your partnership, and your friendship!
Suur aitäh! Ambassador Orav, dear Aivo.
