Doris Pack: Vetevendosje and LDK to prove they are ready to create a stable government

Gazeta Express

10/01/2020 12:34

German politician Doris Pack in an interview with Gazeta Express speaks on political developments in Kosovo focusing on the government formation after elections held in October 2019. The Head of the Women Forum of the European People’s Party (EPP) said the winners of elections – Vetevendosje and LDK – should make compromises and sign a coalition deal as soon as possible. Pack also said that Albin Kurti should be given time to prove himself as prime minister.

When talking on delaying of the visa liberalisation, Pack says that it is unjust to keep Kosovo citizens isolated, adding however that she believes Kosovo will get visa free regime in 2020. Pack says that neither Kosovo nor Serbia will join the EU withoutt having solved their bilateral problems. She commented also on  regional initiative called as Balkans Mini-Schengen, stating that this initiative cannot succseed without Kosovo’s involvment.

Do you think that the two parties should sign the coalition to form the new government of Kosovo as soon as possible?

A stable government that will address the needs of the citizens and continue the required reforms for economic development and Rule of Law should be formed as soon as possible. Kosovo Democracy is fragile and it can not handle not to have functional government. Both parties who won the elections should be able to sign the agreement that would give Kosovo a stable government based on mutual respect and trust.Therefore both partners have to make compromizes, this is how democracies function. Look to Austria! After the election I met members of both parties and had the impression, that there is an understanding for this.

Given the right and left political orientation of LDK and Vetëvendosje, do you think that both parties will do a good  job governing the country, and how do you see Mr. Albin Kurti as the next Prime Minister of Kosovo?

I knew Mr. Kurti when he was a student and visited me in my office in Brussels. I remember him in prison and understand therefore his persoanlity a bit.

Mr. Kurti was not proven in public offices until now. While he was in opposition he was strongly opposing all the governments and he even had concrete plans for governing the country differently. I believe we should all give him some time to prove himself and to both parties for the coalition to work. As everywhere, when parties with different political orientation form a coalition there are challenges on finding the mutual path but there is always chance when the culture of dialogue and compromise and trust is cultivated.

The main challenge of the new government will be the dialogue with Serbia that has stopped for more than one year now. Do you think the resuming of the dialogue between two countries will end up recognizing each other’s   independence on actual borders?

Neither Serbia nor Kosovo will join the EU withoutt having solved their bilateral problems. The past should not so much burden the process,the wellbeeing oft he citizens today and the fate oft he next generations should be the driving force for both sides. Partiton is not in anyones interest, it would create even more problems. I am in favor of an agreement on current borders between both countries that will address all the remaining issues and that can be implemented in the field. This meams also, that the Plan of Martti Ahtissari on which the independance was based. should be fulfiled. Kosovo’s citizens are still facing isolation and cannot travel without visas in Schengen zone.

Do you think that this year EU decision-making institutions will remove visa regime for Kosovo?

As I underlined it very often I feel ashamed , that Kosovo is still the only country in SEE with this regime. Kosovo has fulfilled all the required criteria set by the European Commission. This was confirmed several times from the Commission itself. The European Paliament has also several times urged the Memberstates to give green light. Therefore, it is important to move as soon as possible on this regard and to grant visa-free regime to the Kosovars. Let’s hope that this will be the year when this happens, I count on the Croatian presidency to foster this.

Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia initiated the formation the Mini-Schengen between the three countries more or  less like the Schengen zone of EU. As we know Kosovo is not part of the initiative. Do you think the Mini-Schengen will be successful without Kosovo in it?

Regional initiatives are fully successful when all the countries are included. Mini Schengen is a nice but empty word ,it serves some leaders to making as if they were changing something for better. Fact is: Without Kosovo this cannot happen. If PM Rama really would agree he would commit a betrayal to Kosovo. /GazetaExpress/