Kurti: Serbia must recognize Kosovo

2023-06-23 08:35:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Albin Kurti

In an interview with the German newspaper "Süddeutsche Zeitung", the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, rejects the accusations from Brussels and Washington. He thinks that Serbia should respond.

Relations between Serbia and Kosovo are more tense than in previous years. Washington warns that the crisis could escalate into a regional conflict, while the European Union is threatening Kosovo with sanctions. This is how the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" newspaper describes the current situation.

Journalist Tobias Tzick explains to German readers that "the mediation efforts of the EU and the US are aimed at persuading Pristina to form the Association of Municipalities with a Serbian majority, while Belgrade must recognize the de facto independence of Kosovo".

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, said that in the meeting with the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vu?i?, in March, he presented a draft with the main conditions: "The constitutionality of our Republic must be recognized. The association cannot have executive power and cannot to create an additional level of government. But as soon as the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo is mentioned, Mr. Vucic does not want to hear anything about it."

"I don't think I'm stubborn, I'm principled"

"When I meet Mr. Vu?i?", says Kurti, "it always seems to me that he wants to go back in time: sometimes to 1999 when we were liberated, sometimes before 2008 when we declared independence and sometimes before February 27 of this year, when he said 'Yes' to the agreement presented by the EU in Brussels, but which he did not sign".

To the German journalist's remark that Western diplomats consider him a difficult partner and accuse him of being stubborn, Kurti replied: "I don't think I'm stubborn, I'm principled". Politics cannot be seen in isolation from ethics and values.

Then the Prime Minister adds that he listened to "international friends and partners" when they asked for the postponement of the elections as well as for the relocation of the place of swearing in of mayors "to avoid triumphal scenes". But he adds, "mayors should go to their offices — or should they do the job via zoom?"

"The West will achieve the opposite"

When asked how the Prime Minister evaluates the fact that "the European Union threatens Kosovo with sanctions, while it is extremely lenient towards Belgrade", Kurti answers: "Our friends in the EU and the USA have few expectations from Belgrade". That is why every positive gesture of Belgrade is overstated and inflated. At the same time, they have high hopes for Serbia in the medium term. Such a policy creates security problems for all of Serbia's neighbors."

The German journalist points out that, "according to one interpretation, the EU and the US want to use their well-intentioned policy to separate Vucic from his close ties with Putin and thus tie him closer to themselves". of Kosovo estimates that "something like this can work with a democrat, but not with an autocrat. An autocrat will see any act of generosity or tolerance as a sign of fear or weakness." Therefore, he says, "thinking that concessions will entice Mr. Vu?i? to return to the West - the exact opposite will be achieved."

"Serbia must recognize Kosovo and face the crimes"

"We have not achieved much", says Albin Kurti about the dialogue so far: "After several hours of talks on the basic agreement, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Policy and Security (Josep) Borell declared on March 18: "We have a agreement." And on April 24, Mr. Vu?i? stated in the press conference that he accepts the agreement only as a concept and not as content. He later informed Berlin, Paris and Washington that he intends to implement only some parts of the agreement," says Kurti.

And finally, to the question of whether true trust is possible between him and Belgrade, considering that as a student leader he has been in prison in Serbia for a while, Albin Kurti answers that "there cannot be complete trust until Serbia does not recognize Kosovo as an independent state until it faces the crimes it committed during the war"./DW