President of the Republic of Kosovo, Mrs. Atifete Jahjaga, met today with the Lord Speaker of the House of Lords, the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, Baroness D’Souza, and the Speaker of the House of Commons, the lower house of the UK Parliament, Mr. John Bercow. At the meetings, Madam President was accompanied by the Ambassador of Kosovo to United Kingdom, Mr. Lirim Grajcevci.
At the two separate meetings with the Speakers of the both houses of UK Parliament, President Jahjaga praised the help that UK has provided for Kosovo at all time periods, before and during the war as well as during the state building process. She stated that relations between the two countries are very good and that they must be expanded in other fields as well, particularly in the field of cooperation of both Parliaments.
President Jahjaga emphasized that Republic of Kosovo is an example of success of people of Kosovo and of its institutions and the help of the international community, and that Kosovo today is a factor of peace and stability in the region as well as a promoter of good neighbourliness.
Speaking about the agreement reached in Brussels between Republic of Kosovo and Republic of Serbia, President Jahjaga said that agreement leads towards normalisation of relations between the two independent and sovereign states and that it opens the European perspective for both countries. She also stated that implementation in full of the agreement and the integration of the Serbian community in the four municipalities of the northern part of the Republic of Kosovo into the society and the institutions of the country is of an utmost importance.
President Jahjaga said that Kosovo is dedicated to its European path and emphasized that it is very important that EU approves the commencement of the negotiations for the Stabilisation-Association Agreement, as this would enable the expansion of the reforms in the country and would clarify the European integration perspective.
Speakers of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, Baroness D’Souza and Mr. Bercow, showed their interest for the developments in Kosovo, the process of the international consolidation of Kosovo’s statehood and for the capacities for economic development. They emphasised that United Kingdom is dedicated to provide support for Kosovo through inter-parliamentary cooperation as well as on Kosovo’s EU integration process. Speaker of the House of Commons, Mr. Bercow, said that Kosovo has its integrity and an international backing,
During her stay in London, President Jahjaga also had a meeting with the Member of Parliament, Sir Tony Baldry, who is the chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Kosovo, with whom she spoke about developments in Kosovo and its European perspective. Madam President today had a working lunch with Members of the British Parliament who are engaged with Kosovo and the Balkan region.
Madam President, this afternoon had a meeting with Baroness Warsi, at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, who expressed her interest on Kosovo’s European agenda, visa liberalisation and speedy approval of the SAA.
Baroness Warsi also expressed her interest for the proper proceeding of the local elections in Kosovo and for a largest possible participation of communities, in [particular of the Serbian community at the four municipalities in the north of Kosovo.
President Jahjaga pointed out that agreement reached in Brussels by the Prime Ministers of Kosovo and Serbia has determined the election date for the four municipalities in the north and that the support of Serbia is counted upon for the larges possible participation of the citizens as well as for the abolishment of all parallel structures, as foreseen by the agreement.
Kosovo has a sound tradition in election holding and all citizens, regardless of their ethnicity, elect their legal and legitimate representatives through their vote, to represent their interests.