Hovenier, criticism of Kurt / He ignored the advice and requests of the USA

2024-06-07 18:40:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Hovenier, criticism of Kurt / He ignored the advice and requests of the USA

The Ambassador of the United States of America in Kosovo, Jeff Hovenier

The Ambassador of the United States of America in Kosovo, Jeff Hovenier, says that relations between Kosovo and its main ally are facing disagreements about the political decisions of the current government of Kosovo and disregard of the advice of the American government in relation to the Serbian community in Kosovo. In an interview with the Voice of America, Ambassador Hovenier says that the differences between the United States and the Government of Prime Minister Albin Kurti have nothing to do with the legal side of the actions, but with their spirit and concrete consequences for the Serbian community. In the interview with his colleague Garentina Kraja, he says that the United States is asking the Kosovo government not to act unilaterally but to cooperate with Washington and other Western allies.

VOA: The relationship between the United States and Kosovo is at an all-time low. The United States has questioned whether the Kosovo government is their partner and you have said that the Kosovo authorities have ignored the advice and requests of the United States, damaging the quality of relations between the two countries? What is the current situation like?

Jeff Hovenier: Thank you for the question because it gives me the opportunity to clarify the situation, as I think there are sometimes misunderstandings and I want to be as clear as possible. The United States is just as committed to Kosovo, to the people of Kosovo, and to the state of Kosovo, as we have always been. Next week we will mark together the 25th anniversary of the entry of NATO forces. The United States played a very important role, along with our partners and allies, in ending Milosevic's campaign of ethnic cleansing, in support of the people of Kosovo as they charted their own path, and we are very proud to have supported him. this way.

It is no secret, no mystery, that we have faced challenges with some of the political decisions of the Kurti government. I have spoken a lot about this matter. But we also have several other important areas of cooperation. We have worked hard in terms of energy. The Government of Kosovo has approved the new energy strategy, which is very ambitious, aiming to achieve 30 percent (capacity) of green energy by 2030. We are pleased to have supported the drafting of that strategy, we are pleased with the MCC agreement through which the United States provides 202 million dollars and the government of Kosovo will provide over 30 million dollars for this program. We have had good cooperation in the field of rule of law.

Hovenier, criticism of Kurt / He ignored the advice and requests of the USA

The disagreements are about how best to fulfill the vision of a multi-ethnic state, how to best protect Kosovo's minority communities and how to best respond to their concerns. When we supported the independence of Kosovo, which we are proud of, we did so on the basis of a common idea for a sovereign, democratic and multi-ethnic state, and over the years we have worked with the Kosovo authorities to advance this vision and will we continue to do so.

We have expected the government of Kosovo to work closely with us to respond to the concerns of Serbian citizens (living in Kosovo) because they have the right to enjoy living conditions, dignity and security like all other citizens of Kosovo and how to do this in a way that respects them and advances the common vision for a sovereign, multi-ethnic and democratic state. This is the goal towards which we are trying to work together and for this we are asking for greater cooperation from the government.

VOA: Let's talk about the latest developments. You just reacted against the government's action to finalize the expropriation of lands in Serb-majority municipalities in the northern part of Kosovo. This comes after the criticism you made to the government for the decision to ban the use of the dinar as well as the refusal to take concrete steps to establish the Association. What are the bases of your concerns?

Hovenier, criticism of Kurt / He ignored the advice and requests of the USA

Jeff Hovenier: The differences are not about the legal side of the actions, but about how the law is being enforced. I want to illustrate it with two examples. On the issue of expropriation, no one disputes that the government has the authority to expropriate land. But in all democratic societies, land expropriation—the taking of land because of the government's need for that land, despite the opposition of the owners, is something that is done as a last resort, something that is done in extreme circumstances. When such a thing happens in the northern part of Kosovo, where tensions are already high and where citizens have doubts whether the government is really acting in their interest, the sensitivities of the community must be taken into account. It takes maximum communication efforts and a full engagement with the community in a form that leaves no room for misunderstanding, with attention to every detail. In the United States, the court system faces numerous cases from people contesting government actions to expropriate land. It is a sensitive issue, people love their property. In the case in question, as our joint statement, not only of the United States, but of all the countries of the Quinte, the European Union as an institution and the OSCE mission in Kosovo, says, none of us contests the legality of the government's action to expropriate land, but we have reservations about the form in which this action is being taken. We have had several discussions with the Government of Kosovo regarding the interpretation of the law and the fact that we do not think that all legal criteria have been met.

We have expressed our concerns about the way the government has engaged with the communities affected by this decision and expressed our disappointment that our advice has not been taken into account.

The same applies to the decision of the Central Bank. We do not dispute - I have said it several times publicly - that the Central Bank of Kosovo has the legal powers, the right and the responsibility to establish rules for financial institutions and financial issues throughout the sovereign territory of the Republic of Kosovo, which includes the northern part of Kosovo. But the way this decision was implemented, worried us. It was done in haste, without notice in time. When the change was made to the euro circulation in Kosovo, people had a whole year to prepare. In this case, there are communities in Kosovo that we believe whose livelihoods are provided by pensions or benefits of the social scheme and the way it was done, from our perspective, was without considering this issue sufficiently so that the exposed communities, the people of endangered, to still have the financial support they rely on. So we did not dispute the legality, we do not challenge the right of Kosovo to say that the currency we use based on the law in Kosovo is the euro, this is the decision of the sovereign authorities of Kosovo. We wanted the government to work with us on how to do this. We offered our expertise and support to make it in a form that provided useful information to those affected by this decision, that considered the negative consequences of this decision, that avoided them, and made it in a form that we could support. .

Hovenier, criticism of Kurt / He ignored the advice and requests of the USA

We want to be the strongest supporter of the government of Kosovo, of the people of Kosovo. We want to see Kosovo advance in European and Euro-Atlantic structures. We want to see Kosovo in NATO and in the European Union, in the Council of Europe. But to help Kosovo achieve these goals, we want the government to take actions that respond to the concerns we have raised, that advance these goals, that are in line with the commitments that Kosovo has made in the dialogue. These are what we expect and part of what we believe is missing lately.

Voice of America: How can the situation in which this relationship is overcome?

Jeff Hovenier: I don't think there will ever be a time when the United States government and Americans will not support the people and the project of Kosovo. It is part of our DNA. It is said that Kosovo is the most pro-American country in the world, but I think that the United States is also the most pro-Kosovo country in the world. But this does not mean that a particular government can do whatever it wants. It does not mean that a certain government can make political decisions that we believe undermine what we are trying to achieve together, which is integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures, moving towards EU membership, NATO membership, membership in Council of Europe.

Voice of America: Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of Kosovo says that he is enforcing the rule of law and recently said that the international community is putting unjustified pressure on him. What is your answer?

Jeff Hovenier: I feel very comfortable with what the United States is asking from Kosovo, since what we are asking from Kosovo is in the best interest of Kosovo.

The government has to make some tough decisions. We ask that he do a better job showing sensitivity to the concerns of minority communities. We are asking it to work more effectively with countries and organizations that will help it achieve those goals. What we are looking for is less unilateral action and more cooperation.

Hovenier, criticism of Kurt / He ignored the advice and requests of the USA

Voice of America: One of the requests addressed to the Government of Kosovo is to take concrete steps for the establishment of the Association. Kosovo's leaders from across the political spectrum seem to be uncomfortable with the creation of the Association, while fearing a repeat of the Bosnia scenario, referring to the risk of disintegration it is experiencing. Why do you think such an approach would work in Kosovo?

Jeff Hovenier: After it's not the same approach. I want to be very clear about this. There is no connection between the Republika Srpska and the competences of its structures and what we are proposing with the Association of municipalities with a Serbian majority. It is a false parallelism and we have made this clear in many ways.

We are very clear that we do not want an Association that has the authority, structures or powers of the Serbian Republic, not at all. We have made it clear that the Association must be in accordance with the current Constitution. We have made it clear that there will be no executive powers or authority. We have made it clear that it should not affect the proper functioning of the Kosovar state. We have made it clear that it should create the possibility for these municipalities with a Serbian majority to coordinate with each other for exercising the municipal powers and responsibilities that belong to them based on the current Constitution of Kosovo in several areas, such as health, education and others . And I say it again, I am very comfortable with this request that is being made not only by the United States but by the European Union, all the countries of the Quint, by all the states and institutions that Kosovo relies on and where it needs to rely for achieve its vision of European integration. We are hoping to see progress.

Voice of America: But how do you see the fact that Serbia has not fulfilled its obligations arising from this agreement?

Hovenier, criticism of Kurt / He ignored the advice and requests of the USA

Jeff Hovenier: My job is Kosovo, not Serbia. My focus is for Kosovo to fulfill its obligations regardless of what Serbia does or does not do. Kosovo can only progress with us and with us means that it must be sensitive to our concerns. If Kosovo fulfills its obligations, it will advance. If he hesitates to fulfill his obligations, he will be stuck. Kosovo's path to the future is through the implementation of these obligations. The requirements that we are submitting to Kosovo in order to fulfill the obligations from the Basic Agreement are for the benefit of Kosovo, they help the state to be more efficient and more responsive to the concerns of a part of its citizens.

Voice of America: Doesn't the fact that the entire political spectrum in Kosovo has reservations about the creation of the Association bother you?

Jeff Hovenier: I understand given history that there are concerns about the possibility of a quasi-state or a para-state or a political entity, but that's why we've worked so hard to have a draft statute and structure that avoids this. I say with conviction that if this draft statute that the European Union presented with the support of the United States, Germany, France and Italy, went to the Constitutional Court, it would determine that it complies with the Constitution of Kosovo. This is a matter for the Court to decide, not us, and of course we will all respect the Court's decision, whatever it may be. But I hope this would solve this concern as long as it is clear that (the Association) does not change the Constitution, as long as it is clear that it does not create another political entity with executive authority and powers, there is no reason for concern.

Hovenier, criticism of Kurt / He ignored the advice and requests of the USA

VOA: There has been criticism that the United States is pursuing a policy of making concessions to Serbia, which continues to maintain strong relations with Russia and China. For this reason, some analysts have stated that Kosovo is facing unfair pressure from the West. How do you respond to these criticisms?

Jeff Hovenier: I think I answered. Regardless of what is happening with Serbia, what we are asking from Kosovo are issues that Kosovo has already pledged to implement and that are beneficial to Kosovo. We are not doing this because of concerns about Serbia. We are doing it because we want to see Kosovo advance. Kosovo's path to membership in the European Union is through the full implementation of the obligations arising from the dialogue. Kosovo's way to get closer to NATO, for which we will be effective advocates to NATO member states that have not recognized Kosovo, is through the full implementation of all its obligations arising from dialogue, including basic agreement. As my European colleagues have made clear, the United States does not have a vote in the Council of Europe, but Kosovo's path to membership in the Council of Europe is through the implementation of some of those obligations. I do not see this as anything more than a well-intentioned effort to support Kosovo to achieve what we all aim to achieve, which is integration in Europe. I'm proud of it and I don't apologize. I think it's the right thing.

And one last point that I want to emphasize, I want to underline another way in which we have supported the people of Kosovo. We have done this through the development of the Kosovo Security Force. Our vision is very clear. An interactive force with NATO, multi-ethnic, with a mission of territorial defense, with civilian supervision with democratic legitimacy. The United States has made many investments, millions of dollars in training, its equipment among others, as another sign of our support because we see Kosovo in the future as a NATO ally, as a partner with which we have carried out missions abroad. We have already served together with Kosovo in a peacekeeping mission in the Middle East. We want to see more such commitments, which means membership in these European structures, which is then linked to the need for full implementation of the obligations from the Basic Agreement. And even though Serbia is not my business, we have the same demands towards Serbia. We also expect Serbia to fulfill all obligations from the basic agreement and from the dialogue. I can't speak to what the ramifications are, that's Ambassador Hill's job, but we're clear about our expectations from all sides. Carry out all your obligations arising from the dialogue. By doing such a thing, you ensure the best future for your peoples and countries./ VOA