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Speech by the President of Kosovo Mr. Hashim Thaci

Honorable Chairman of the Security Council, Honorable members of the Security Council, Honored guests, Ladies and gentlemen, It is my honor to be before you today on behalf of the institutions and the people of the Republic of Kosovo. I want to thank the United Nations and the Security council for their continued attention on Kosovo and the developments in the region. I will never forget that during the darkest days for myself and the citizens of Kosovo, it was from this chamber that voices of hope and calls for peace echoed. Myself and my people will never forget that when we were facing our toughest moments, you became our voice. We thank you eternally. Thanks to you, the world learned of the systematic violence, ethnic cleansing, the thousands of innocent citizens that are no longer amongst us, thousands more that are still missing, and over 20.000 women that continue to live with the pain and the stigma of the sexual violence that they experienced during the war with Serbia. You were our voice, when we did not have one. However, honored ladies and gentlemen, Today we are here two decades after the body war, and ten years after the independence of Kosovo. We have been summoned for an extraordinary session, during a time of complete normality and substantial progress in Kosovo. When the degree of engagement of the United Nations mission in Kosovo demands a serious review and when your attention is required to address real problems facing the world. Honored attendees, Nothing extraordinary happened in Kosovo last week. In fact, what happened is a normal decision, just in its mission and purpose. If Kosovo has made a mistake, it has done so in unnecessarily waiting for ?ve years  to establish its Army. The decision for the army may be belated, but it is in no way a wrong one. It is belated because we waited for goodwill from those that did not show us any until today, not in relation to the state of Kosovo. However now, the Republic of Kosovo, as a sovereign and independent state, has undertaken a natural step for the establishment of its army. Please do tell me what is extraordinary about this? There is nothing extraordinary about this, and there is nothing, nothing whatsoever that contradicts resolution 1244, President Ahtisari’s package, the constitution of Kosovo, or international law. First and foremost, resolution 1244, respectively paragraph 15, refers only to the demilitarization of the KLA, a process which was completed in record time and without any incidents. It was highly appreciated even from the Security Council and then Secretary Ko? Annan. It was also highly valued from NATO, and this is a fact that is strongly supported from evidence and existing NATO and UNMIK reports of the time. Secondly, President Ahtisari’s comprehensive package, who was the special representative of the UN General Secretary for negotiations regarding the ?nal status of Kosovo, in 52 clearly underscores the right of Kosovo to have an army. Moreover, the Strategic Review of the Security Sector, undertaken in close cooperation with NATO, emphasizes very clearly the right of Kosovo to transform its Security Force into Armed Forces. Finally, and most importantly, the decision of the International Court of Justice, which might I add was made upon Serbia’s request, communicates in a crystal clear terms that Kosovo did not violate any international laws when it declared its independence. As such, that it is Kosovo’s indisputable right to have its army. The establishment of the army is the will of the people of Kosovo with unanimous political  from the chosen representatives of the people. Regardless of whether some may like that or not. The Serbian state expressed its agravation. But the Serbian citizens of Kosovo have not. Allow me ladies in gentlemen, in my capacity as the President of the Republic of Kosovo and as Commander in Chief to clearly state that Kosovo’s armed forces will produce more peace and stability. The transformation of the mission of KSF is not a step which we have undertaken as a message against anyone. Kosovo’s army is not, and will never be a threat to anyone. Kosovo’s army is and will remain a professional and multiethnic force. Over 10% of the soldiers are from non-majority communities. Serbians, Montenegrins, Croats, Turks, Bosniaks, Romans, Egyptians, Ashkali etc. A force that will protect every citizen of Kosovo, every child, every youngster, regardless of the language that they speak at home. Honored attendees, My people, due to their tragic past, have always been afraid of military uniforms, precisely because it has historically been foreign and a symbol of repression. However Kosovo’s soldiers will be soldiers of peace and Kosovo’s army will be a contributor of stability in the region. I am deeply disturbed that many Kosovar Serbs, citizens of Kosovo and members of KSF have been forced to resign due to immense systemic pressure imposed  upon them by the Serbian state. I was moved by the stories of some soldiers from the Serbian community about the intimidation imposed upon them by the Serbian state. Their families have been attacked. Their homes hit with grenades. And many of them held for hours on end by Serbian police. This is the terrible truth. I feel very bad for them, because I know, that the majority of them handed back their uniforms with tears in their eyes and broken hearts. Nevertheless, I want to guarantee to everyone that we will never back down from our commitment to include all communities in Kosovo’s army. This is an army which will serve all of Kosovo’s citizens, without exceptions. The only threat to our region are irrational calls for war and con?ict that stem from our northern neighbor. In addition, allow me to assure you that Kosovo will respect every existing international agreement, including the letter sent to the NATO Secretary General for cooperation with KFOR. We will continue to cooperate very closely with NATO. All our efforts will be coordinated with NATO.

Speech by the President of Kosovo Mr. Hashim Thaci

Honorable Chairman of the Security Council, Honorable members of the Security Council, Honored guests, Ladies and gentlemen, It is my honor to be before you today on behalf of the institutions and the people of the Republic of Kosovo. I want to thank the United Nations and the Security council for their continued attention on Kosovo and the developments in the region. I will never forget that during the darkest days for myself and the citizens of Kosovo, it was from this chamber that voices of hope and calls for peace echoed. Myself and my people will never forget that when we were facing our toughest moments, you became our voice. We thank you eternally. Thanks to you, the world learned of the systematic violence, ethnic cleansing, the thousands of innocent citizens that are no longer amongst us, thousands more that are still missing, and over 20.000 women that continue to live with the pain and the stigma of the sexual violence that they experienced during the war with Serbia. You were our voice, when we did not have one. However, honored ladies and gentlemen, Today we are here two decades after the body war, and ten years after the independence of Kosovo. We have been summoned for an extraordinary session, during a time of complete normality and substantial progress in Kosovo. When the degree of engagement of the United Nations mission in Kosovo demands a serious review and when your attention is required to address real problems facing the world. Honored attendees, Nothing extraordinary happened in Kosovo last week. In fact, what happened is a normal decision, just in its mission and purpose. If Kosovo has made a mistake, it has done so in unnecessarily waiting for ?ve years  to establish its Army. The decision for the army may be belated, but it is in no way a wrong one. It is belated because we waited for goodwill from those that did not show us any until today, not in relation to the state of Kosovo. However now, the Republic of Kosovo, as a sovereign and independent state, has undertaken a natural step for the establishment of its army. Please do tell me what is extraordinary about this? There is nothing extraordinary about this, and there is nothing, nothing whatsoever that contradicts resolution 1244, President Ahtisari’s package, the constitution of Kosovo, or international law. First and foremost, resolution 1244, respectively paragraph 15, refers only to the demilitarization of the KLA, a process which was completed in record time and without any incidents. It was highly appreciated even from the Security Council and then Secretary Ko? Annan. It was also highly valued from NATO, and this is a fact that is strongly supported from evidence and existing NATO and UNMIK reports of the time. Secondly, President Ahtisari’s comprehensive package, who was the special representative of the UN General Secretary for negotiations regarding the ?nal status of Kosovo, in 52 clearly underscores the right of Kosovo to have an army. Moreover, the Strategic Review of the Security Sector, undertaken in close cooperation with NATO, emphasizes very clearly the right of Kosovo to transform its Security Force into Armed Forces. Finally, and most importantly, the decision of the International Court of Justice, which might I add was made upon Serbia’s request, communicates in a crystal clear terms that Kosovo did not violate any international laws when it declared its independence. As such, that it is Kosovo’s indisputable right to have its army. The establishment of the army is the will of the people of Kosovo with unanimous political  from the chosen representatives of the people. Regardless of whether some may like that or not. The Serbian state expressed its agravation. But the Serbian citizens of Kosovo have not. Allow me ladies in gentlemen, in my capacity as the President of the Republic of Kosovo and as Commander in Chief to clearly state that Kosovo’s armed forces will produce more peace and stability. The transformation of the mission of KSF is not a step which we have undertaken as a message against anyone. Kosovo’s army is not, and will never be a threat to anyone. Kosovo’s army is and will remain a professional and multiethnic force. Over 10% of the soldiers are from non-majority communities. Serbians, Montenegrins, Croats, Turks, Bosniaks, Romans, Egyptians, Ashkali etc. A force that will protect every citizen of Kosovo, every child, every youngster, regardless of the language that they speak at home. Honored attendees, My people, due to their tragic past, have always been afraid of military uniforms, precisely because it has historically been foreign and a symbol of repression. However Kosovo’s soldiers will be soldiers of peace and Kosovo’s army will be a contributor of stability in the region. I am deeply disturbed that many Kosovar Serbs, citizens of Kosovo and members of KSF have been forced to resign due to immense systemic pressure imposed  upon them by the Serbian state. I was moved by the stories of some soldiers from the Serbian community about the intimidation imposed upon them by the Serbian state. Their families have been attacked. Their homes hit with grenades. And many of them held for hours on end by Serbian police. This is the terrible truth. I feel very bad for them, because I know, that the majority of them handed back their uniforms with tears in their eyes and broken hearts. Nevertheless, I want to guarantee to everyone that we will never back down from our commitment to include all communities in Kosovo’s army. This is an army which will serve all of Kosovo’s citizens, without exceptions. The only threat to our region are irrational calls for war and con?ict that stem from our northern neighbor. In addition, allow me to assure you that Kosovo will respect every existing international agreement, including the letter sent to the NATO Secretary General for cooperation with KFOR. We will continue to cooperate very closely with NATO. All our efforts will be coordinated with NATO.

President Thaçi paid homage one day after the voting for the Kosovo Security Force

Prishtina, December 15, 2018 – The President of the Republic of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, one day after the voting in the Kosovo Assembly for the new mandate of the Kosovo Security Force, paid homage to the statue of the Kosovo hero, Zahir Pajaziti, to the tomb of former President Ibrahim Rugova and the tomb of prominent activist Adem Demaçi, as well as the Jashari family cemetery in Prekaz.

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