The Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) exchange views with Avdullah HOTI, Kosovar Prime Minister, in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Committee on Foreign Affairs

Brussels

exchange of views

EU - Kosovo (T)

McALLISTER, David (EPP, DE)

ZOVKO, Željana (EPP, HR)

PICULA, Tonino (S&D, HR)

HOTI, Avdullah (1A)

EU - Kosovo: extracts from the exchange of views with Avdullah HOTI, Kosovar Prime Minister

SOUNDBITE (English), Avdullah HOTI, Kosovar Prime minister, We are the only country in the region and beyond, without a visa free, free visa regime to the Schengen zone. I know that this process might be seen from a technical point of view of meeting the requirements, but we all know that we met those requirements back in 2018. What my government is doing is making sure that we keep those criteria fulfilled all the time.

SOUNDBITE (English), Avdullah HOTI, Kosovar Prime minister, In the first days in office we took some difficult decisions for us, very unpopular in terms of domestic politics, such as removing the tariff barrier or removing reciprocity measures. Why? Because we were asked by our EU partners to do this. And to show commitment for a meaningful dialogue process.

SOUNDBITE (English), Avdullah HOTI, Kosovar Prime minister, We are starting a process to reach a final comprehensive agreement of full normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. And with full normalization, everybody understands this can be achieved only through mutual recognition.

SOUNDBITE (English), Avdullah HOTI, Kosovar Prime minister, Last week, we reached an agreement in Washington, D.C.. We worked in that agreement for quite some time. And the way I see it, is that that was a huge step toward that final agreement of full normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. We call it economic normalization agreement because most of that agreement is with economic issues.

SOUNDBITE (English), Avdullah HOTI, Kosovar Prime minister, Of course, an important element of this agreement is the recognition of Kosovo by Israel, a mutual recognition between Kosovo and Israel. We see this as a breakthrough in the process of increasing the number of countries that recognize Kosovo as an independent state.

SOUNDBITE (English), David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), Chair Committee on Foreign Affairs, The EU facilitated dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo could only be relaunched because your government took a brave decision, a very brave decision to lift the nontariff barriers on imports from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

SOUNDBITE (English), David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), Chair Committee on Foreign Affairs, Welcome, especially Mr. Besnik TAHIRI, the deputy prime minister of Kosovo.

SOUNDBITE (English), &#381;eljana ZOVKO (EPP, HR), Honorable Prime Minister, United States is a strong partner of Kosovo. How do you see the role of USA in the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue? And what is the role of the EU? How do you see the balance between the European and the American approach?

SOUNDBITE (English), Tonino PICULA (S&amp;D, HR), What was the exact agreement in Washington concerning recognition of Israel opening Kosovar embassy in Jerusalem? Would Israel only recognize Kosovo if you open your embassy in Jerusalem?

SOUNDBITE (English), Avdullah HOTI, Kosovar Prime minister, The way I feel it every day is that we should, this involvement should be seen as complementing the EU's role in this process. And this was formally confirmed to me by U.S. representatives.

SOUNDBITE (English), Avdullah HOTI, Kosovar Prime minister, The agreement is a list of commitment commitments that we have as a country and Serbia has as well. And I expect now that Serbia is going to respect those commitments and signing these agreements in the White House, in the Oval Office. I think it's a clear sign that we should respect also.