The President of the Republic of Kosovo, Madame Atifete Jahjaga received today the Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia in the European Service of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Miroslav Lajcak.
President Jahjaga said initially at the meeting that she welcomes the beginning of the dialogue on visa liberalization, calling it a signal for the citizens of Kosovo that Kosovo will not be left out and the only isolated country in the region.
The President said that this process should be followed with other breakthroughs in other areas, particularly in establishing contractual relations with the EU, by finding the manner how to overcome the political problems caused by the derecognition of Kosovo from 5 member states of the EU.
The completion of the supervision process of the independence is a joint success of the international community, the institutions of Kosovo and the citizens of Kosovo, said President Jahjaga.
She added that the institutions of Kosovo will conduct all their constitutional obligations and will undertake other tasks that would help the successful departure of the International Civilian Office by the end of this year. The institutions of Kosovo are committed that, together with the international partners, to implement the Constitution and the laws of the country in the entire territory of Kosovo, including the three municipalities in the north, she said.
President Jahjaga said that the integration of the Kosovo Serbs has been successful in most of the country, except in the three municipalities in the north.
We consider the situation in this part of the country as a matter of law and order, where the criminal structures supported by Serbia, are hindering the country’s institutions and are holding hostage the Serbian citizens who want a normal life, said President Jahjaga.
We have urged the Serbian authorities to stop the support of these structures and we have called upon the Serb community to cooperate with the Kosovo authorities in the implementation of the Ahtisaari Plan that guarantees all of their rights. The Ahtisaari plan is the only way forward and there is no Ahtisaari Plus or any special status for this part of Kosovo, said President Jahjaga.
President Jahjaga added at the meeting that the Kosovo authorities have supported the dialogue with Serbia since the beginning as a way to solve the remaining issues between the two countries and which will contribute to the relaxation of relations between the citizens and the authorities of both countries. As part of the dialogue we have reached a number of agreements which serve in the interest of both countries, although there are some difficulties in their implementation.
Failure to implement the agreements by Serbia is causing new tensions in Kosovo and is straining the legitimacy of the institutions, she said.
I call that the dialogue process be more transparent and with accountability and that the EU not only acts as a facilitator of the dialogue but also as the guarantor of the agreements reached during this process, said among others President Jahjaga.
The Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia in the European Service of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Miroslav Lajcak, by welcoming the conclusions of the International Steering Group, said that this is good news on the progress made by Kosovo and reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to continue the support for Kosovo on its path towards European integration.
He also stressed that regional cooperation is very important and the EU is interested to see an active role of Kosovo in this cooperation.
Mr. Lajcak added that the dialogue with Serbia is important for both countries and expressed his interest for the implementation of the agreements arising from this process.