The grandson of former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, Johannes Kohl, delivered his first speech in the Bundestag yesterday — and it was marked by strong and heartfelt support for Kosovo, coinciding with the vote on the extension of the Bundeswehr mission in Kosovo.
Kosovo’s Ambassador to Germany, Faruk Ajeti, shared the speech, thanking Kohl for his powerful words and for raising critical issues regarding Kosovo.
“An extraordinary speech calling for Kosovo’s recognition by all EU states, its membership in the Council of Europe, and respect for the ruling of the International Court of Justice,” Ajeti wrote.
Among other things, Johannes Kohl declared:
“Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, the deployment of the Bundeswehr in Kosovo is a success story. In the 1990s, more than 95,000 Bundeswehr soldiers fulfilled their mission of securing public order in the Republic of Kosovo. They contributed to building a society in Europe. They prevented a resurgence of ethnic violence and enabled peaceful development in the country.
In previous debates, the AfD rejected the extension of the mandate, citing the readiness of Serbian nationalists in northern Kosovo to use violence. Ladies and gentlemen, this is absurd. By doing so, you actually highlight the need for a strong Bundeswehr mandate to implement Resolution 1244 and the opinion of the International Court of Justice on Kosovo.”
Kohl’s firm stance was seen as a clear message in favor of Kosovo’s statehood and its rightful place in European institutions.
