The Chairman of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo and former Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, who is currently in Washington, in an interview with Voice of America, discusses developments in Kosovo on the eve of the February 9 general elections, as well as the impact that the new US administration's policies will have on developments in Kosovo.
Voice of America : As the February 9 elections in Kosovo approach, political party campaigns are intensifying. To discuss this topic, as well as others, we have invited to the studio today the Chairman of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo and former Prime Minister, Mr. Ramush Haradinaj. Welcome, Mr. Haradinaj.
Ramush Haradinaj : Nice to meet you. Thank you.
Voice of America : The campaign for the February 9 elections is, so to speak, in full swing, at its peak. And these elections come at a time of significant geopolitical change, but also important for Kosovo. What are your expectations for these elections?
Ramush Haradinaj : I see that there is a change in the conviction, or direction of the voters. Both the coalition that I lead and the opposition parties, I believe, will have an increase in the majority. So a change of government is expected in Kosovo after February 9. An opposition government, which I hope to lead.
Voice of America : During this campaign, a hardening of rhetoric by political parties has also been noted, and your party has now been fined by the election panel for this language. There are critics who might say that the hardening of rhetoric is being used as an alternative to concrete offers to voters. What is your reaction?
Ramush Haradinaj : Usually it is like that. So, the lack of options does this. We are faced with a government that has not been careful and respectful of many values, processes in the country. It is understood that with the four-year accumulation of these irritations, dissatisfactions with the way the country is governed, expressed by the opposition, it is surprising that the head of government would do this. So there is no logic for the prime minister to shout, who in this case has governed for over four years and has made five budgets. With the logic of elections, a head of government shows the work he has done and the work he will do. So, in this case the opposition can say that it is at its level, of carrying out the task of dealing with misgovernance, with the failures of the Kurti government.
Voice of America : But specifically, what is the offer of your party, of your political force, that would be better compared to what the current government is offering?
Ramush Haradinaj : I have been working for a long time. I have been working on the NATO membership plan for six years. So, we want complete, permanent, or eternal security, and we think that this is the only way to solve all internal and regional problems. And my first point is NATO membership. That is why I am also in Washington and I can say that the topic is moving forward, it is progressing well. I have had the opportunity to meet many authorities, including those of the new administration that has just begun. I am coming directly from the Pentagon, actually, where I was before I came here. Security is very important to us. Then there is energy security. We buy energy in times of crisis, at high prices. We have to produce. In Kosovo, we had the American gas pipeline. We want to restore energy security and production. We are seeking to restore the gas pipeline. We want economic security, together with domestic investors, to support it ourselves, but also to bring in investments and funds. In order not to be condemned, as we are today. It is understood that care for values, care for education, teachers, the health system, doctors. But also for the youth categories, and pensioners. We have realistically given a clarified offer with budgetary parameters. Since I was the head of government, I know that the solution has a cost. So, we were correct. We strongly believe that it is going well. So, I am satisfied with the course that the campaign processes are taking in Kosovo.
Voice of America : As you mentioned, you are in Washington where you also attended the inauguration of the new President Donald Trump. What kind of commitment do you expect from the new administration regarding Kosovo?
Ramush Haradinaj : First, we must understand that it is a big change. So a different dynamic. Another concept of moving forward. And we dare not waste time. I strongly believe that it would be bad news, this is my opinion, if we did not change the Kurti government, because this government failed to cooperate with the Biden administration. But, we will no longer have tolerance for any movement forward if we do not change the government and if we do not return to bilateral, contractual relations with the Trump administration. I think that even in this visit, we have maintained a continuity. When I created the army in 2018, it was the Trump administration, so for the laws of the army and the army itself. We have maintained a continuity, but no one tolerates us in how we do our homework. I think that the homework begins with the change of government. So on February 9. I believe that we will increase the pace, the rhythm. But it is not the same. It is a very different situation. There are many global developments. There is a new approach of President Trump himself, his administration, towards all these processes. We should not be involved in these new plans for the reorganization of American security processes. So, American troops should continue to be in Kosovo. KFOR should continue to be in Kosovo, and only when we are a member of NATO and when we have achieved full security, then we will move to a bilateral plan. We have offered America locations forever, to transform them into extraterritorial ones for military and civilian use, like Bondsteel, like Film City, that is, where the KFOR command is today. But, at the same time, we are open to the Gjakova airport, the business area in Gjakova, the training park in Babaj i Boka.
Voice of America : I wanted to go back to your expectations from these elections. Where do you base your confidence that you will win?
Ramush Haradinaj: Mendoj se plani ynë, hierarkia e planit tonë është serioze. Pra, elementi i parë është për siguri të përhershme, të plotë dhe të përhershme. Jo improvizime të sigurisë, për fitore të ditës, sa për të marrë merita atë ditë, por ne po e përmbyllim çështjen e sigurisë tonë të përjetshme me planin për anëtarësim direkt në NATO, nëpërmjet planit të veprimit. Këtë e kanë vlerësuar qytetarët. Plani ynë për siguri energjetike është serioz, i bazuar, i ka elementet konkrete. Plani për zhvillim ekonomik, rritjen ekonomike, po ashtu është shumë serioz. Po ashtu edhe kujdesi për pagat, për pensionet, për sektorët individualë është i vërtetuar. Vjen edhe nga përvoja ime në të kaluarën në qeverisje, e kolegëve të mi. Koalicioni që është rritur realisht, tashmë jemi disa subjekte politike bashkë. Pra, ekziston mundësia reale që edhe ne të jemi një nga fituesit e këtyre zgjedhjeve. Nuk po them i vetmi fitues, sepse janë edhe parti të tjera në garë. Edhe parti të tjera opozitare janë në një situatë shumë të mirë. Pra, ne do të jemi një nga fituesit e këtyre zgjedhjeve dhe unë besoj se do ta kemi shumicën e shqiptarëve për ta krijuar qeverinë pas 9 shkurtit.
Zëri i Amerikës: Dhe një pyetje e fundit, ju lutem. Megjithëse dialogu Kosovë-Serbi është një nga çështjet më të rëndësishme, jo vetëm për vendin, por për rajonin, nuk duket se po zë vend shumë në debatin e zgjedhjeve. Si e shihni vazhdimësinë e këtij dialogu?
Ramush Haradinaj : Now we have a new plan, a completely new one. So, we will fulfill the obligations of the dialogue. As you know, we have been in dialogue with Serbia for over 20 years and there are many agreements, many contracts. So now recently, the Franco-German plan, the Ohrid agreement. I think that, and my plan is, to fulfill the obligations that came out of the dialogue, including the association, by sending it to the Constitutional Court from the first week. We will no longer continue to dialogue with Serbia. What is the reason? All the time, during all these 20 years, we have identified all the issues, so the international community, us, America, the EU. And we have addressed all those issues and they exist in contracts. We now need to move to the bilateral plan. So, to raise the level of relations with Serbia, to the bilateral level, as a non-recognizing country. We also have relations with other non-recognizing countries, we work with Greece, with Romania, Slovakia. First of all, we will continue to work with them, since they are also NATO member states. At the same time, we will continue to work with Serbia. On the bilateral level, it is understood that Serbia continues and maintains a hostile position and is, so to speak, an extended hand of Russia - that is how it is assessed. If they take different actions, then everyone will welcome and support them. So, we will move on to bilateral issues. So, the dialogue is no longer what it was. So it does not mean that we will no longer cooperate, we will not communicate, we will not have meetings. But not as a dialogue to resolve problematic issues in Kosovo, because all of them exist in the contract and we will carry out our work, regardless of and without being influenced by them, but only with America and the EU, so that we can gain the right to rapid membership in NATO. / Voice of America (A2 Televizion)
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