Former Foreign Minister of Kosovo, Meliza Haradinaj, has strongly reacted to a statement by Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka, who said during a joint press conference in Prague with Serbian counterpart Marko Đurić that the Czech Republic’s recognition of Kosovo “was made under pressure.”
Haradinaj stressed that such statements damage the credibility of relations between Kosovo and the Czech Republic, emphasizing that recognition was a sovereign, principled decision in line with international law.
She underlined that, instead of expressing regret over state decisions, Czech officials should contribute to maintaining stability and challenge narratives aimed at delegitimizing Kosovo’s statehood.
According to her, such narratives harm not only Kosovo but also the role of the European Union as a mediator in the Kosovo–Serbia dialogue.
Full statement (translated)
“EU commitments demand enforcement, not regret from Prague!”
The statement made by Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka during the joint press conference with Marko Đurić—that “the recognition of Kosovo at the time was made under pressure and we could have been more cautious”—undermines the credibility that defines relations between the Republic of Kosovo and the Czech Republic today.
The Czech Republic recognized Kosovo through a sovereign and principled decision. This decision strengthened stability in the Balkans and contributed to a safer Europe. It opened the way for deeper cooperation between our countries and reinforced our shared commitment to NATO and the European Union.
This decision is fully in line with international law and has been confirmed by the opinion of the International Court of Justice.
Instead of publicly expressing regret for sovereign decisions of his state, Minister Macinka would better serve peace and stability in continental Europe by challenging the narrative advanced by Đurić. This narrative aims to delegitimize Kosovo’s statehood and directly undermines the credibility of the European Union as a facilitator of the dialogue process.
The European Union has invested political and strategic capital in agreements between Kosovo and Serbia, and all member states should expect these agreements to be implemented with concrete results.
EU-facilitated agreements must be protected and consistently enforced. Allowing one party to openly challenge these agreements without consequences weakens the authority of the European Union and raises serious questions about its ability to guarantee the implementation of obligations undertaken under its leadership.
Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Đurić represents a government that continues to oppose Kosovo’s international recognition and carries out pressure campaigns against states that have exercised their sovereign right to recognize it.
These actions contradict commitments made by Aleksandar Vučić in internationally mediated agreements. Serbia continues to fail to implement these obligations while simultaneously seeking progress toward European Union integration.
Serbia remains the only country in Europe that has not aligned with sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin and continues to provide open political support to him.
This positioning places Serbia outside the unified European response to aggression and instability. At the same time, it continues policies that increase tensions in the region and slow normalization in the Western Balkans.
The Republic of Kosovo remains committed to peace, democratic values, and regional cooperation. It will continue working with partners who support international law and a stable European order.
The partnership between Kosovo and the Czech Republic has delivered concrete results for citizens and should continue based on mutual respect, strategic clarity, and a shared European future.
