The President of Albania, Bajram Begaj, said on Monday in Pristina that he fully supports the actions of the Kosovo authorities, following tensions in the north of the country on July 31, where protesters blocked roads to oppose the government’s decision on reciprocity measures with Serbia for the use of identification documents and car plates.
Mr. Begaj made these comments after the meeting with the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, in his first visit abroad since taking office.
“I salute the prudence of the state of Kosovo in dealing with the crisis of July 31 and fully support its legitimate right to extend authority and establish the rule of law in the north of the country, in cooperation with our strategic partners – the United States of America and the European Union. I appreciate the position of the president and the government of Kosovo in continuing the dialogue with Serbia, as the only way to make it clear that the reality of independent Kosovo is irreversible and unchangeable”, said Mr. Begaj.
The President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, asked the European Union to be more vocal in the face of, as she said, Serbia’s destabilizing tendencies towards the entire region, which she said are instigated and in the service of Russia’s interests.
The European Union called on the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia on Sunday to end inflammatory rhetoric, referring to declarations of war and conflict in the Western Balkans. While the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, has stated that there was a risk that the recent tensions in the north could escalate into an armed conflict, the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, said last week that there is information that Prishtina is preparing to “liquidate” Serbs in the north.
“There is and cannot be any equivalence in the treatment of the parties when Serbia is clearly the aggressor once again, and it is the one that is using warmongering rhetoric in relation to Kosovo, but also actions that undermine peace and stability towards Kosovo. Therefore, we expect clear signals from the European Union to be given in relation to Serbia, which must once and for all stop these actions that undermine security in the region”, said Mrs. Osmani.
President Osmani and President Begaj vowed to try to deepen coordination at a sensitive time for security in the region and the world, referring to the Russian aggression in Ukraine.
“The war in Ukraine shows us once again that peace is fragile and that the world is facing new threats like never before. National security, energy independence, food security, pandemics, cyber security, water reserves and many others are areas of priority importance and require increased cooperation more than ever”, said President Begaj.
