Thaci: Serbia’s approach “chauvinistic”

Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci says that he is disappointed with Serbia’s "chauvinistic" approach towards Kosovo. He added that he hoped that Belgrade and Pristina would establish better relations as "one country towards another". Thaci: Serbia’s approach “chauvinistic” “We expected Belgrade to have shed the mentality from the Slobodan Milosevic era in relation to Kosovo,” Thaci said in an interview with France Presse marking the first anniversary of Kosovo’s unilateral independence declaration. The prime minister said that Pristina had good will and a sense of responsibility for normalizing "bilateral relations, including the recognition of Kosovo and Serbia as two independent states, opening a Kosovo embassy in Belgrade, and a Serbian embassy in Pristina". He said that while Serbia "aspired to EU and NATO membership", its relations with Kosovo remained "completely chauvinistic" in order to try and compromise "Kosovo’s territorial integrity". “For Kosovo, Serbia’s picture was one of genocide, and it still is genocide,” Thaci said. He said that he was “proud” of the “functionality of the state of Kosovo” and the fact that 54 countries of the world had recognized it. "During the second year of independence we expect to become members of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank,” he said. However, Thaci added, “we must hold meetings between Pristina and Belgrade regarding issues of joint interest such as displaced persons and those who want to return to their land and property.” Hashim Thaci (Fonet, archive)

Thaci: Serbia’s approach “chauvinistic”

“We expected Belgrade to have shed the mentality from the Slobodan Milošević era in relation to Kosovo,” Thaci said in an interview with France Presse marking the first anniversary of Kosovo’s unilateral independence declaration.

The prime minister said that Priština had good will and a sense of responsibility for normalizing "bilateral relations, including the recognition of Kosovo and Serbia as two independent states, opening a Kosovo embassy in Belgrade, and a Serbian embassy in Priština".

He said that while Serbia "aspired to EU and NATO membership", its relations with Kosovo remained "completely chauvinistic" in order to try and compromise "Kosovo’s territorial integrity".

“For Kosovo, Serbia’s picture was one of genocide, and it still is genocide,” Thaci said.

He said that he was “proud” of the “functionality of the state of Kosovo” and the fact that 54 countries of the world had recognized it.

"During the second year of independence we expect to become members of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank,” he said.

However, Thaci added, “we must hold meetings between Priština and Belgrade regarding issues of joint interest such as displaced persons and those who want to return to their land and property.”