Joint press conference by Prime Minister Edi Rama and Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj following the fifth joint meeting of the governments of Albania and the Republic of Kosovo.
PM Ramush Haradinaj: Thank you very much!
I am pleased to announce today with Prime Minister Rama the successful conclusion of the fifth joint meeting between the two governments earlier today. We have agreed to sign nine joint accords and protocols, while more goals and challenges lie ahead of us. What I would distinguish today is an analytical study on Albanians in 2025, which I think will give a perspective on how we will move forward from now on. Without repeating everything that happened at the governments meeting, I can tell you that Albania and Kosovo are on the right track towards unification in a single economic market, and not only that, but also our journey has greater clarity as a result of today’s meeting.
I would like to thank Prime Minister Rama, the Council of Ministers of Albania, and express also a special appreciation to our colleagues in the government and whole staff, who have contributed towards organizing a successful meeting. Thank you!
PM Edi Rama: Thank you very much!
It was a meeting of a particular importance at a special moment for known reasons. I am pleased to emphasize that in the framework of joint government meetings, the today’s session yielded the most concrete product as the processes already launched in the previous meetings have entered an implementation stage and I want to highlight them, stating first that the process of elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers has been materialized.
No tariff and non-tariff barriers will exist between the Republic of Albania and the Republic of Kosovo within first six months of the next year. One of the elements includes the elimination of some 42 certificates and documents in the field of trade exchanges, related to the animal health and agricultural products.
Just like the mutual recognition of driving licenses will take place, or just like the documents issued by one side only will be valid at the border checking points. So, whoever travels from Kosovo to Albania, it will be enough for him to be a Kosovo documents holder to enter and normally carry out economic and trade activities in Albania and vice-versa.
This is a great and it is an exemplary step, an example we offer to the entire region. This is what should be done with the whole region and whoever sees Albania – Kosovo cooperation with the eyes of the past is invited to look it through the eyes of the future.
The future requires no tariff and non-tariff barriers and here I want to bring to attention the moment that has triggered a lot of debate and has to do with the 100% tariff levied by the government of Kosovo, which, I repeat, is not an economical act, but it is an obvious political reaction and an invitation for Serbia to stand with its feet on the ground, because the path to the future cannot be built with a knife in the back of Albanians and negative reaction processes anytime Kosovo appears to receive an accession certificate to an international body. The most recent one was the attempt to block Kosovo’s membership with the Interpol, which is an unjustified attempt as after all it was accession to a global organization to fight crime.
Secondly, the customs. We are heading towards customs unification. We have announced it earlier and today we are taking the initial step. As of January 1, Kosovo will be granted its own transit customs point in the port of Durres, while other steps will be materialized towards customs unification over the first half of next year.
I mentioned Interpol, but I could have also mentioned UNESCO, and now I will talk about roaming.
Serbia goes in the opposite direction to what it is the road to the future, by practically excluding Kosovo from the roaming agreement and forcing us to reach a deal between Albania and Kosovo to scrap roaming charges for mobile communications networks in the first half of the next year.
Likewise, Prime Minister Haradinaj mentioned the Morina border crossing point where long ques that hamper the free movement of people and goods are created. Morina will become a fluid joint customs and border crossing point up to European standards. The police forces and the customs administrations of both countries will jointly operate in a single border and customs point and free movement opportunities will be created, just like we wish to see the visa-free movement of Kosovo’s Albanians in the European Union as soon as possible. It is unacceptable and unjustifiable that Albanians of Kosovo are being kept hostage to internal dynamics and elections in the EU member states. They wait the elections to complete here and there and then the European elections are also to be held, while they kept coming here and coming to Tirana pressuring us: ‘Approve the border demarcation accord with Montenegro and the visa regime will be lifted.”
Meanwhile Serbia not only the visa regime has been lifted for Serbia, but it is now negotiating accession negotiations without recognizing Kosovo at all. Kosovo had to accept the border demarcation, an illegal storey extension so to say figuratively.
Kosovo did it and now it is not well understood, or rather say it is understood, but it is not acknowledged: “Wait awhile as we here face some problems and we don’t want the extremists here and there to become angry.” This is unacceptable. Of course, we are small countries to have the power to change these things in the configurations of the larger states that have the carrot and the stick in their hands, yet we are still alive. In this aspect, we will keep moving forward the processes of Albanians for Albanians.
The analytical document that will be co-funded by both governments and will be drafted by the Foreign Ministries, which will cooperate as a single group with the most specialized international consultancy, is a document that aims to create a strategic vision for Albania, Kosovo and Albanians in 2025, 2030, 2035, 2050.
Demography, the economic development potential, political systems and so on. We will move forward decisively on the path towards unification of the Albanians. We want this unification under the umbrella of the European Union and we want it as soon as possible. No one will hinder us and no one will force us to continually accept to swallow one after another acts and actions that run counter to our whole philosophy of cooperation.
I avail myself of this occasion to emphasize that Albania is determined to build a strategic partnership with Serbia, but Serbia cannot adopt one face for Albania and another for Kosovo. To us, this is unacceptable. It is unacceptable at a time when Serbia blocks any Kosovo goods entering to Serbia and keeps claiming to bring in goods with the description ‘Kosovo i Metohija’; they can keep ‘Metohija’ for themselves. This is the Republic of Kosovo and this is something that cannot change, is non-negotiable and it is no longer questionable. We want to move along to path to the future all together, Albanians and Serbs, Serbs and Albanians. However, on the other hand, if Kosovo has left the past behind, if Kosovo has built right here in this country the best example of respect for the minorities and if the Serbs in Kosovo enjoy freedom and rights, and remember that not every minority in the whole region enjoy their rights, let alone the Albanians in Serbia, this cannot be something that is considered as given for free.
On the other hand, this cannot be a reason for Serbia to play the victim in face of Kosovo. Serbia is not a victim. Kosovo is the victim and it is time for the things to be looked right in the eye and it is time to put an end to things, just like we wish for ourselves, for our Serb neighbours and for the whole region and our European friends should not tell us more tales, and should not ask from us more than our knees can hold, while continuing to pamper Serbia in an unacceptable way.
Serbia should be reciprocal in all steps and the entire cooperation and interaction plan. The 100% tariff would be irrational under rational conditions, but under conditions of Serbia’s abnormal behaviour towards Kosovo is the only normal answer to Serbia. We support it 100% and we will continue to be 100% alongside Kosovo, alongside the Kosovo government, beyond everything else.
I mentioned it in my speech and I will conclude by reiterating it. Yesterday I listened a story from Kosovo’s Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, who was in Belgrade to express the good will to be cooperative under a joint initiative, and he told me how Belgrade, until 2 o’clock after midnight, through the Europe’s envoys, asked him to avoid the word the Republic of Kosovo during his speech.
This is beyond any imagination. If we accept it and never ask Serbs not to refer as Kosovo and Metohie when we meet each other, how can Serbs dictate us what to say. If we don’t agree, we have agreed not to agree. For us, Kosovo is independent and it is undisputable. If they want to keep discussing, let them do so, but Kosovo and Albania will walk together, side by side, like the double-headed eagle.
Thank you very much!
I have question for Prime Minister Rama. I believe you have been steadily briefed on the ongoing debate here in Kosovo over the adjustment of borders with Serbia. What is Albania’s position on this issue?
PM Edi Rama: My position is the one I have expressed from the very beginning. This is an issue that should be treated according to a clear strategic vision and it is up to us all to sit, discuss and look to the future clearly and strategically. Today it is clear we are at a state when the wheat from the chaff should be separated. We can no longer go on with the history of a dialogue that moves forward via pictures and meetings, but does not apply to the reality of coexistence between Albanians and Serbs in our region. So, for me, nothing should be excluded. Everything should be seen with the eyes of the future and with a single purpose. Albanians cannot be more divided. Albanians need to unite. They have to united in the context of the European Union’s developments. They should unite as a nation in two states that want to live without borders between each other.
Mr. Rama, would you tell us your government’s official position over the idea… you answered to my colleague’s question, but more concretely, because many in Kosovo say that you have reached some kind of a secret agreement with Vucic on Kosovo’s territorial partition?
Another question for you Mr. Haradinaj. Do you regret voting the border demarcation agreement when listening to Albanian Prime Minister saying that it turned out to be a big mistake?
PM Edi Rama: Where did you here that? Or in a trash media?
What?
PM Edi Rama: Wait a second, because I am here. When you speak in a trash media, you can say this, but not while I am still here … Where did you here that it was a big mistake? I didn’t say that.
You mentioned it several times. The demarcation…
PM Edi Rama: I didn’t say it was a big mistake.
This is how it was interpreted. Since you mentioned it several times, then it turns out to be a mistake/
PM Edi Rama: I am here. I am still alive. I am here. You can come a touch me to understand that I am alive.
Another question. Have you settled the differences with Minister Ahmetaj over his statement that he didn’t favour Kosovo and it later turned out he regretted and deleted his post?
PM Edi Rama: Minister Ahmetaj has no reasons to regret for. Minister Ahmetaj has commented it in principle, saying principally the tariffs are not healthy for the economy. Of course, in another context of cooperation, the tariffs would be unhealthy for the economy. But, on the other hand, I repeat, the decision is not of an economical nature. It is not a trade war that Kosova has waged on Serbia. Serbs and our European partners and friends should listen this too. It is not in the framework of a trade war. It is a political reaction towards a neighbouring country that says something and does something else, a neighbouring country that plays the victim in the relations with Kosovo, while steadily stabbing Kosovo in the back. It is the most normal reaction in a situation of abnormal ties. It is not a reaction of economical nature, but a political one. Kosovo can no longer accept that its goods are not allowed to enter Serbia, while Serbia’s goods are allowed to enter Kosovo under the excuse of free trade.
Free trade? How?
One-sided free trade? When it comes to Serb good entering Kosovo is considered free trade, whereas when it comes to Kosovo goods entering Serbia, then it is a state of war.
This is what completes the picture.
So you are used to say the last thing first. Whereas, as far as we are concerned, we say the words in a certain order. Albania’s Minister of Finance and Economy has said something quite normal; the tariffs are unhealthy in a situation of trade exchanges between two countries that live in normality. But we are not in such conditions. Imagine a lorry departing from Kosovo with the Republic of Kosovo” license plate” crossing the border there. While Kosovo-Metohia trailers keep entering here. What is this “Kosovo – Metohia”? Metohia is found in speeches and Belgrade. It doesn’t exist here. This is the essence, and therefore, the Minister has no reason to regret, while it is you the ones who should regret the unfair attacks against the Minister for saying something normal.
As for the border demarcation issue. I will explain it again. Kosovo has done the right thing for defining the border line with a partner and friendly country and a neighbour of strategic importance like Montenegro. What I said is the European Union’s two-faced approach; on one hand, Serbia doesn’t recognize Kosovo, but still keeps on opening the EU accession chapters; on the other hand, Kosovo is told to back the border demarcation in return of the visa-free travel. In a continent like the European continent, the only people who are not allowed to move freely are the people who lived under dictatorship and were entitled to visa-free travel as Yugoslav passport holders, whereas today, although living in their independent state, are not allowed to travel freely. How could be this explained?
Kosovo is today hostage to the internal dynamics of other countries. This is unacceptable to us. This is what I said! Do you clearly understand now, or more explanations are needed?
With regards to the border adjustment issue, I would say one thing only. Hashim Thaçi is the President of Kosovo and commander of Kosovo’s Liberation Army. Whoever raises a hand against Hashim Thaçi, calling him a traitor, is a fool. This is what I know to say. Everything else are issues as part of an internal debate. They are issues concerning the efforts to develop a strategic vision for Kosovo’s future. It is not a matter of what someone or others think. The matter is to find the right strategic path so that Albanians come together and unite, not in speeches, but in reality, so that the double-headed eagle becomes one and Albania and Kosovo become one in every direction and every respect.
PM Ramush Haradinaj: The border demarcation is a shared accomplishment between Kosovo and Montenegro, also considering Montenegro’s readiness to agree on border adjustment in two directions, that of Çakorr and Kulla. I am confident the two sides will respect this mutual commitment, knowing also the fact that Montenegro is not only a neighbouring country, but also a trustworthy partner of Kosovo, which we respect. We also feel the need to create infrastructure links with Montenegro. We have established political and security ties, but we lack the infrastructure connections. We need to construct two roads leading to Plava and which passes through the Rugova Valley, and another tunnel that would link us with Rozhaja, which is not very costly and on which we are currently working for. We have very good infrastructural connections with every other neighbouring country, Serbia, Macedonia, Albania, although I won’t call Albania a neighbour. We have completed our sections of roads leading to Macedonia and Serbia, but the infrastructure links with Montenegro are still poor.
A lot has been discussed about the 5-euro toll we should pay to use the Nation’s Highway. I know a lot has been said about this issue, but I have a greater concern and I have asked PM Rama about the opportunities to complete construction of this road. I remember when the project was initially launched by Mr. Nano and Prime Minister Majko, whereas PM Berisha built it in its today’s state, but the road has yet to complete. It’s up to PM Rama to complete its construction. This is a legitimate request from Kosovo citizens. We can afford paying the amount we should pay, but the road should complete, because costs may run high should the road remains incomplete.
PM Edi Rama: I would like to add what PM Haradinaj said. For us it is very important to complete construction of the Nation’s Highway. It still has to complete and it is a dangerous road. It is a road that cannot complete without everyone’s contribution. We will do whatever it takes to complete its construction and this is our objective. We discussed the matter yesterday too. But I have something to tell to everyone in Kosovo complaining about the toll. Patriotism in war is shown when you are ready to sacrifice your own life. Patriotism in peace means you should not question the contribution you have to pay for the common good. I believe that in this aspect, whoever travels to Albania for tourism purposes is ready to contribute in order to ensure that road, the main artery connecting all Albanians, completes as soon as possible and is properly maintained. The road passes through a mountainous area that experiences difficulties and features more than 30 danger spots. In this aspect, I repeat, being a wartime patriot means you are ready to sacrifice your life, whereas in patriotism in peacetime means you pay taxes and contributions. The goal is to complete the road’s construction.
PM Ramush Haradinaj: The today’s joint decisions lead to zero tariff and non-tariff barriers on goods and people. This has been a long-standing request. Likewise, the study we mentioned is an important project. The analytical document will be of great importance. Finally, we will be able to prove ourselves about our dynamics, as PM Rama said, as well as the demographic and economic development of our systems. Thus, the mutual interaction and integration under the European umbrella. To conclude, I want to thank PM Rama and the entire government and colleagues in the cabinet in particular, the Council of Ministers of Albania, that of Kosovo and everyone else who have worked to ensure we achieve these results today.
