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Gërvalla: There is no tension in relations with the USA

2024-03-26 21:30:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Kosovo's Foreign Minister Donika Gërvalla said that Kosovo's relationship with the United States is very good, despite the fact that they do not fully agree on some topics.

While American diplomats have expressed that the lack of coordination on the issue of the use of the dinar has damaged the partnership with the government of Kosovo, Mrs. Gërvalla said that "there are some topics where we do not agree 100 percent in the technical aspect" , adding that "the questioning of relations between Kosovo and the United States of America has never happened".

During an interview for the Voice of America, she also spoke about the lack of progress in talks between Kosovo and Serbia.

"If everything we do in Brussels under the mediation of our European partners has an expiration date until Serbia withdraws, then we have to ask ourselves how much time it is worth to spend so much time in Brussels for an agreement that in the end , they do not oblige Serbia to adhere to them", she said.

Regarding the possibility of Montenegro voting against Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe, Ms. Gërvalla said that "it would naturally be a serious setback in our bilateral relations, therefore I do not believe that Montenegro will take a decision like that".

Voice of America: Ms. Gërvalla, the report on Kosovo is expected to be discussed tomorrow at the meeting of the Committee for Politics and Democracy of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. What are your expectations?

Donika Gërvalla: We think that if the necessary quorum is created tomorrow to deal with the request for Kosovo, then we think that such a request, that is, the report, can be approved. And let me state today that rarely in the history of membership after 1990 in the Council of Europe has any country been so prepared to join the Council of Europe. We have acted together with all the mechanisms of the Council of Europe, the report is positive, all the homework has been done, therefore we expect that during March, during April and also during May we will have movements in this direction.

Voice of America: Ms. Gërvalla, however, Montenegrin officials from the ranks of the pro-Serbian People's Democratic Party hinted that their delegation will vote against Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe, even though the country recognizes Kosovo's independence. Are you afraid of the vote in the Parliamentary Assembly in April or in the Council of Ministers in the May meeting?

Donika Gërvalla: The vote for Kosovo's membership that will be given by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will be a massive positive vote for Kosovo, at least that's what all the conversations we've had so far tell us, while as for Montenegro, we have good relations with Montenegro and I don't believe that our neighboring countries would have to vote against it, but we will have to see in the next few days.

Kosovo's membership or non-membership will not depend on Montenegro's vote, but it would naturally be a serious setback in our bilateral relations, so I do not believe that Montenegro will make such a decision.

VOA: You said earlier that you did your homework. The closure of the Deçan Monastery property issue fulfilled one of the criteria that was directly related to your request to join the Council of Europe. But American diplomats said that other issues such as the Association of Serbian-majority municipalities could affect this process. Could this issue appear as an obstacle in your way?

Donika Gërvalla: The report of the Council of Europe states very clearly that Kosovo fulfills all the highest standards of democracy, protection of human rights, protection of the rights of non-majority communities, the rule of law and others that are criteria to join the Council of Europe. Only the implementation by the institutions of a decision of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo remained open, a topic that has been resolved in the meantime, and the creation of additional conditions, i.e. the addition of conditions that were not foreseen in the report, would be an approach very unfair to our request, that's why I don't believe it's going to happen.

Voice of America: A day ago, the delegations of Kosovo and Serbia met for the second time in Brussels, but without finding a solution regarding the financial support of Kosovo Serbs from Belgrade after the decision of the Central Bank that determines that cash payments can only euro currency should be used in Kosovo. What are the chances of reaching an agreement?

Donika Gërvalla: While it must be established that there is no doubt that the euro is the only currency valid in Kosovo, according to the principle of all democratic states where 'one state - one currency' applies, we have established that there may be some problems here and there for any of our citizens that I need to seek a solution. However, let's not forget that since 2011 we have been discussing with Serbia in Brussels about illegal institutions and their dissolution, which was a promise of the then Serbian government in 2013. Such a complete dissolution has not happened until now, that's why we are still discussing old topics. We and Serbia reached an agreement in Brussels, accepting both sides what was initially called the Franco-German proposal and then the EU proposal, which resulted in the agreement of February 27 of last year. As for Kosovo, we were ready to sign it immediately in Brussels. Serbia has refused. Today, unfortunately, we are not able to say whether or not we have legally binding agreements for both parties, because we remain the only party, that is, Kosovo, that fights for the full implementation of that agreement. If everything we do in Brussels under the mediation of our European partners, but also with the help of other partners, and those of the United States, the expiration time is only a few weeks, until Serbia withdraws from ago decisions, then we must We ask the question, is it worth it to spend so much time in Brussels for agreements that in the end, even so, do not oblige Serbia to adhere to them.

VOA: The dinar issue fueled disagreements between you and Kosovo's main allies, including the United States. American diplomats said the lack of coordination has damaged the partnership with your government. Are you worried about damaging this partnership?

Donika Gërvalla: I think there are many misunderstandings and misinterpretations regarding a new regulation of the Central Bank of Kosovo, which is an independent institution, in whose affairs the government of the Republic of Kosovo does not interfere. However, what we are discussing is the implementation of that regulation, where we have accepted in the meantime, together with our partners, that there may be a need here and there for a longer or longer phase for its implementation. I can tell you that relations with the United States of America are very good. And they are very good because in all the topics we deal with in our region, we have the same attitude and we have the same goals.

Voice of America: However, concern has been present, Mrs. Gërvalla, regarding the positions taken by the Pristina authorities on the issue of the dinar. Do you think there could be a change in your attitude to mitigate this tension of relations?

Donika Gërvalla: We, first of all, do not have tense relationships, so we should be very careful in the terminology we use. We have some topics where we do not agree 100 percent in technical terms, but this is completely normal in the relationship between two close partners. I consider that this is very normal, not only between partners, between two countries, but it is also normal in a family, which, I repeat again, we both have the same goals, both the USA and the Republic of Kosovo, in all topics that are related to our region and the progress of our countries. That we have debates about certain topics is completely normal. However, the questioning of relations between Kosovo and the United States of America has never happened and there is no government of Kosovo, no institutions of Kosovo, neither the current ones, nor those that may come in the future which will they could question such a relationship./ VOA