Prime Minister Albin Kurti during his two-day stay in Switzerland was invited for an address and discussion by the Swiss Society for foreign policy, accompanied by a conversation with the Foreign Policy Editor of the NZZ, Andreas Ernst.
As the Prime Minister’s office reports, Kurti also addressed relations with Serbia and the dialogue process facilitated by the European Union.
He spoke about Serbia’s refusal to sign the agreed Basic Agreement and its implementation Annex, and underlined the continued violations by Serbia that culminated in the letter of former Serbian Prime Minister Ana Bqrnabic to the European Union stating that Serbia will not respect the territorial integrity of Kosovo, which practically implies withdrawal from the Basic Agreement and its basic principles.
Kurti told Serbia that “as long as its authoritarian elite continues to propagate disinformation, mobilize troops along our border and refuse to prosecute the terrorists who killed our police sergeant a year ago in Banja Luka, Zvecan”.
“Serbia will always pose a great danger to the security not only of Kosovo, but also of other neighboring countries that hinder the project of ‘Greater Serbia’, which now call the ‘Serbian world’, namely Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina are being harassed in addition to Kosovo“.
Kurti said Moscow would be the first to join this “chorus of division and destruction”.
“Russia and China have expanded their influence in the region, both economically and politically. Russia uses historical and cultural ties to exert its power, appealing to the deep spirituality of the Serbian people, who are closely aligned with the Russian Orthodox Church, while China uses investments and loans to strengthen its influence. These influences destabilize the region and create a strong barrier against democratic progress”.
He said that for Kosovo and the entire Western Balkans it is essential to remain anchored in the European community of values.
“This commitment is not just about economic growth – it’s about preserving democracy and freedom. We anticipate the Western Balkans to grow as a stable, sovereign and fully integrated part of Europe – not as a geopolitical chessboard for external powers. Western Balkans in Europe. With the inclusion of the Western Balkans in the EU, it is the European Union that becomes Europe”.
