President of the Republic of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi has brought together today members of the Consultative Council for Communities, with whom he discussed the general situation of communities in Kosovo, the achievements and the work that needs to be done in the future.
President Thaçi said that Kosovo today does not take examples from the region, but it has become an example for the region. He said that we the country is an example of how to promote dialogue and how to build a state that is home to all communities in a multicultural society where everyone, regardless of ethnicity, will be able to preserve and cultivate their identity and culture.
“A decade and a half ago we were a land which had started rebuilding from war and ethnic discrimination. Less than a decade has passed since we have become an independent state. But in these few years we achieved to move faster than any other country in the region towards building our common country”, President Thaçi said.
He stressed that they we have we have gone through has not been easy, because the transformations through which we had to pass a society have been great.
“During the negotiations on Kosovo’s state-building we have shown maturity and political vision, by accepting provisions that accommodated all communities. We have put in place mechanisms to encourage the participation of all communities, regardless of their number, in public and institutional life in Kosovo – mechanisms to preserve and promote their identity”, President Thaçi said.
Thaçi said that we have installed strong and sustainable foundations, but that we still have more work to do. “And here we are united. Our problems, our ambitions, our aims do not divide us, they unite us”, he added.
As regards the work of the Consultative Council for Communities, President Thaçi stressed that it is essential to conduct a proper debate pertaining to the protection and promotion of the right of communities in Kosovo.
“Nobody can say that Kosovo is perfect and that we do not face challenges. Not all walls that have divides us have broken down yet. But it is important that we find the key to these problems, the dialogue between us. In this respect, your role is irreplaceable”, President Thaçi told the members of the Consultative Council for Communities.
President Thaçi said that the list of successes of the Kosovo state will grow, making us proud to be citizens of the newest state, but now we will have to work together to accomplish our aspirations for our Euro-Atlantic Kosovo.
“You will always have my support and cooperation”, President Thaçi concluded.