YouSaid · the spoken record

Citaku

lines on the record: 330
first: 2010-11-12
most recent: 2019-10-31
sittings or episodes: 17
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“In the absence of a Serbian embassy in Kosovo, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe mission administers the process in Kosovo. According to data from the 2016 parliamentary elections, 106,094 voters in Kosovo were eligible to vote in those elections. Obviously, the numbers do not match up. Either the Serbian Election Commission inflated the number of Serb voters in Kosovo, or the number of Serbian displaced people is inflated. We will only get the full picture once we organize the next census. We will spare no effort to create better living conditions for all Serbs living in Kosovo. Every citizen of Kosovo is free to return. The Kosovo Government has spent tens of millions on different projects, building homes and supporting sustainable return. As enshrined in our Constitution, Kosovo belongs to all its citizens.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“For us, this is not about numbers; even if only one Kosovo Serb cannot return, for us that is one too many. At the same time, we must also remember that not all Serbs who fled Kosovo after the war were actually citizens of Kosovo. When the war erupted in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, entire neighbourhoods were built in several locations in Kosovo to accommodate Serbs who used to live in those parts of the former Yugoslavia. Some of them decided to stay, as is the case of the Marevie family, which came to Kosovo in July 1995. Today, one of the members of that family is a Minister for Local Government in the Republic of Kosovo. In addition, in line with our Constitution, dual citizenship is allowed. Kosovo Serbs who are also citizens of Serbia have a constitutional right to vote in the Serbian Parliamentary elections.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“As to the number of displaced people, to claim that 200,000 thousand Serbs were displaced after the war from Kosovo is factually incorrect. Ifthat had been the case, then no single Serb would be living in Kosovo today. According to the census organized in 1991, at a time when Kosovo was under Serbian occupation, the number of Serbs living in Kosovo was 194,000. Unfortunately, to this date we still do not know the accurate number of Serbs living in Kosovo. That is because when Kosovo institutions organized the census in 2011, the Government of Serbia unleashed a very aggressive campaign to discourage the participation of the Serbian community. The smear campaign went so far as to label registration in the census as an act of betrayal.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“The Court further commented that the law on Trepca is not limited to one or another ethnic community in Kosovo but is designed for the well-being of the whole of society. There is no evidence as to how and why Kosovo Serbs would be damaged this this law; quite the opposite is true. Making Trepca and other Kosovo resources fully functional means permitting and allowing all Kosovo citizens to work and prosper. We hope that Serbian representatives in Kosovo will start making their own decisions without any fear or pressure from Belgrade, and that they decide to re-engage in the parliamentary and institutional life. That is the only way forward. Allow me to also take this opportunity to also address the preliminary observations of the Special Rapporteur, Ms. Karima Bennoune.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“On 13 October, 11 Members of Parliament representing the Serbian community in Kosovo sent a request to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Kosovo to review the applicability of the Law on Trepca with the provisions on property protection and the rights of communities of the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo. On 31 October, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Kosovo ruled that Law No. 05/ L-120 on Trepca is in compliance with the Constitution. The ruling stated that Kosovo-Serbian Members of Parliament did not substantiate their allegations on constitutional grounds and did not provide evidence indicating how and why the challenged law on Trepca has violated the Constitution, either in procedure or in substance.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“I know that my colleague has distributed complete background information on the new law to everyone here. Serbia has no legal basis supporting its allegations about property rights relating to public property and enterprises located within the territory of the Republic of Kosovo. Any such efforts will meet with strong opposition from the Government and the people of Kosovo. Such behaviour undermines the normalization ofrelations between the Republic ofKosovo and Serbia. There is no legal basis to the claims of the Serbian authorities; their words and actions only exhibit colonial tendencies towards Kosovo. The time when decisions for Trepca and other Kosovo resources were made in Belgrade is over, once and for all.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“They are meaningful only when they are implemented in our own countries. Another clear demonstration of Serbia's lack of sincerity regarding normalization is the outrage that Belgrade has expressed over the new law we recently enacted concerning the Trepca mines. Serbia has also exploited the Serbian community in Kosovo as a means to its ends. The Trepca mines are in Kosovo, they belong to Kosovo and they will be managed by Kosovo. The Trepca law accords fully with Martti Ahtisaari's comprehensive proposal on Kosovo's final status and with our Constitution. And it was specifically UNMIK that assigned full authority over and management of public and socially owned enterprises to the-then Kosovo Trust Agency, which later became the Kosovo Privatization Agency.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“I would like to recall here Serbia's lists of arrest warrants issued even for various Western leaders, who include former President Bill Clinton, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Secretary of Defense William Cohen of the United States; former President Jacques Chirac and Premier Lionel Jospin of France; former Prime Minister of Britain Tony Blair; former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of Germany; and many other ministers of foreign affairs and defence. The former NATO Secretaries-General Javier Solana and George Robertson and former NATO Supreme Commander in Europe, General Wesley Clark, were also among those accused. The bottom line is that the process of normalizing relations between Kosovo and Serbia does not end in Brussels, where the agreements are signed.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“Actions such as those we have witnessed recently are not only legally wrong, they also directly undermine our efforts to normalize the region and improve freedom of movement. Because they fear arrest, Kosovan Albanians do not feel comfortable travelling through Serbia any more. And this is not the first time that Serbia has violated international law and abused the agreement on freedom of movement reached in the high-level dialogue in Brussels. It is a demonstration of the Serbian Government's attitude in insolently provoking Kosovo's Government. If we look back, however, it is not only former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army who have persistently featured on Serbia's wanted lists.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“However, I should remind the Council that we also celebrated agreement on the dialling code a year ago. Our scepticism about the success of that dialogue is also amplified by Serbia's constant violations of the agreement on freedom of movement. Two Kosovo citizens, one of them a regional police commander, were recently arrested and detained under arrest warrants issued by the Serbian authorities. They were released - after being held in prison unnecessarily and for far too long - because no reasonable charges were brought against them. The Serbian authorities claim to have lists of arrest warrants against hundreds of Kosovan Albanians. That is absolutely unacceptable. Serbia has no jurisdiction over Kosovan citizens.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“Thousands are missing, and there are very clear traces of the institutional chain of responsibility and command used to hide its tracks. As has been documented, the Serbian Government went so far as to erect buildings in the mass grave sites. I will say it once again - the number of those indicted is zero. There can be no reconciliation without accountability and justice. As we reaffirm our commitment to inter-State dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, mediated by High Representative Mogherini, I must stress that we in Kosovo are not satisfied with the pace of the implementation of the agreements that have been reached. A few days ago, our delegations agreed on the dialling code for Kosovo. That is certainly great news, as it will strengthen our independence and bring millions of dollars to our budget.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“Kosovo has taken unprecedented measures to address the alleged crimes by establishing the Specialist Chambers. Cooperation with international and local justice has never been a subject for negotiation in Kosovo. We want justice for all, because that is the only way we can bring peace to all the families that have lost their loved ones. In Kosovo we do not fearjustice, because we have nothing to hide. Our cause and our war were just. While we have gone to great lengths to address all the allegations made against us, Serbia has been anything but willing to prosecute war crimes. I have said it before in this Chamber, and I will say it again - 20,000 women were raped in Kosovo during the war. The number of people indicted for that is zero. Again, 1,262 children were brutally killed, and the number of people indicted is also zero.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“What has happened in Kosovo is that the victimized "people" or "population" has sought independence, in reaction against systematic and long-lasting terror and oppression, perpetrated in flagrant breach of the fundamental principle of equality and non-discrimination. The basic lesson is clear: no State can use territory to destroy the population. Such atrocities amount to an absurd reversal of the ends of the State, which was created and exists for human beings, and not vice-versa." (A/64/881/ Add], para. 176) While we in Kosovo will never shy away from and remain committed to bringing justice to all the victims, regardless of their ethnicity and background, we are not seeing the same level of commitment from our neighbour to the North.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“It is not only that we did not violate international law but, at Serbia's request, the International Court of Justice issued a clear and unambiguous separate opinion in its advisory opion on the Accordance with internatinoal law of the unilateral declaration of independence in respect of Kosovo (see A/64/881). I shall quote part of it, as I am sure Council members have seen it: "No State can invoke territorial integrity in order to commit atrocities (such as the practices of torture, and ethnic cleansing, and massive forced displacement of the population), nor perpetrate them on the assumption of State sovereignty, nor commit atrocities and then rely on the claim of territorial integrity notwithstanding the sentiments and ineluctable resentments of the 'people' or 'population' victimized.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“Kosovo is a free, independent and sovereign State that is recognized by the overwhelming majority of the free nations of the world. Those facts are irreversible. The clock of history cannot be turned back. But yet we come here every three months to hear from my colleagues from Serbia about a parallel universe in which Kosovo's statehood is inexistent; in which Kosovo Albanians committed ethnic cleansing; in which the oppressor becomes the oppressed; in which Milosevic is the hero and the Kosovo Liberation Army, an army that fought for liberation, is a terrorist group; and in which Kosovo violated international law, while Serbia was trying to protect it. That is the parallel universe that my colleagues from Belgrade try hard to portray. In the real world, as I said, Kosovo is free, independent and sovereign - and that fact will not change.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“We in Kosovo remember very vividly goming back to our homes in 1999 and finding everything in ashes. Fortunately, thanks to the Council's hard work and commitment, we were not alone. The United Nations and its agencies were at the forefront of our efforts to build peace and stability. Again, for that we will be forever grateful. It is precisely because of that profound feeling of gratitude that we in Kosovo somehow feel uncomfortable that, every three months, we come back here to the Chamber, taking up the Council's valuable time, when we all know that the world we live in today has way too many pressing issues demanding the Council's attention. Let us just do a quick reality check. First, this is 2016, not 1999. Secondly, as of 17 February 2008, Kosovo is no longer administered by the United Nations.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“Ms. Citaku: As always, it is an honour to come to speak before the Security Council on behalf of the Republic of Kosovo. The countries that Council members represents have put so much effort into bringing about peace and stability in the Western Balkans, and for that we will be forever grateful. We Kosovars are living proof that, when there is solidarity among the free nations of the world, when there is courage and goodwill, life overcomes death and good prevails over evil. The Security Council members have spent countless hours negotiating and adopting dozens of resolutions and presidential statements concerning the situation in Kosovo. Furthermore, the tax payers' money of Member States was spent for the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK) to be deployed in Kosovo in the immediate aftermath of the war.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“She gave us all a lesson, especially those of us working in the public sector, that not everything is for sale and that there are things that money cannot buy. She became a hero to her people and an inspiration worldwide, as her story was showcased across the globe. Women like Fahrije, Doruntina and Majlinda are the new heroes of Kosovo. They push our limits and make us become a better version of ourselves. They teach us that there is no excuse for failure, that no dream is too big and no hope is too high if we work hard and put our hearts into it.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“I know that because our people, our young people, are giving us shining examples every day. Doruntina Sylejmani, a teenager from Kosovo, brought home a medal from the International Mathematical Olympiad. In a tough and rigorous competition, with the best and brightest from all around the globe, Doruntina won. Although she comes from a country that still needs to do a lot to improve the quality of education, she won, thereby inspiring thousands of young Kosovar children to dedicate themselves to science. Then there is our golden pride, Majlinda Kelmendi, who brought us our first Olympic medal ever. Majlinda was offered millions to compete for other countries while Kosovo was still struggling to become a member of the International Olympic Committee. She declined those offers and waited for her chance to represent her country.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“While the overall political discourse in Kosovo remains fierce, and while political parties are expressing their disagreements on some very sensitive and important issues, including the border demarcation with Montenegro, all of those parties were unanimous in condemning violence, including, specifically, the three attacks that occurred in the past few weeks in the Parliament building, at a public broadcasting company and in a private home. Police and other Kosovar and international law-enforcement mechanisms are working hard to bring the perpetrators to justice. There is no room for violence in our new republic, as we are struggling every day to build dialogue among ourselves and with our neighbours. That is the only way forward. Although the sky might sometimes seem grey, I know that there is hope for Kosovo.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“During the reporting period, our international status was strengthened by the recognition of our independence by Suriname, by our becoming part of the Apostolic Convention and by our joining the International Exhibitions Bureau as its one hundred and seventieth member. In addition, Kosovo established diplomatic relations with three other countries, thereby expanding and strengthening our ties with the free world.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“The Kosovo Police has initiated investigations against 199 people, and 102 people have been arrested. Seventy were indicted, and 34 people have already been convicted. Today, around 50 Kosovars are in Syria and Iraq. However, because of the measures taken by our law- enforcement mechanisms, the number of Kosovars who have joined the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant over the past 12 months is zero. I would like to quote United States Vice-President Biden, who, during his recent visit to the region, not only praised Kosovo's actions in countering violent extremism but also clearly said, "Kosovo is an example to follow".”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“In Kosovo there are cities where mosques and Catholic and Orthodox churches share the same courtyard. We have always coexisted peacefully. Today, Kosovo is a secular republic. No matter how one prays, whether one believes in God, in nature or in evolution, as long as he or she is a law-abiding citizen, he or she will live in peace. Those are values that we hold dear, and we will fight to defend them. For that reason, we have taken very serious measures to fight the phenomena of foreign fighters and radicalization. Kosovo was one of the first countries in Europe to adopt appropriate legislation and strategies to counter violent extremism. But we have gone far beyond words. Some 19 non-governmental organizations that fuelled radicalization and that were financed with suspicious funds have been shut down.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“The European Union alone invested over â‚¬54 million in different projects in that part of Kosovo in the last three years. We will not stop there. We will do everything we can to demonstrate, through action, that any citizen of Kosovo, regardless of their ethnicity or religion, can feel at home and live without fear. Kosovo will continue to be an active member of the coalition of nations fighting terrorism. Attacks in the streets of Nice, Turkey, Afghanistan and many other recent tragic incidents remind us that we are fighting a borderless war. While we express our deepest condolences for all the lives lost, let me reassure the Council that we will do everything we can to fight that evil, which strives to implant fear and demolish our way of life. We in Kosovo are a multireligious and multicultural society.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“That dualism of partially implementing Brussels agreements on one hand, while maintaining parallel structures on the other hand, allows Serbia to report at the European Union about progress in implementation and maintain its interference in Kosovo intact. In some ways, the implementation becomes a cover for interference and parallelism by Serbia. On the surface it looks as ifthe agreements are being implemented, but in reality the situation remains contradictory and far from what we agreed in Brussels. Kosovo institutions show their commitment through acts. Since 2013, in addition to the annual budget, northern Serbian-majority municipalities received an additional â‚¬10 million from the special fund established to improve the quality of life of its citizens and to integrate northern municipalities.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, I want to reiterate that, in line with our Constitution, we will implement every single agreement reached in Brussels. But our job is made difficult when Serbia continues to finance parallel institutions throughout Kosovo and tries to build colonies in northern Kosovo, violating not only our Constitution, but also resolution 1244 (1999). The current situation is rather paradoxical. While Serbia takes part in the Brussels dialogue for the normalization ofrelations with Kosovo, it continues to meddle in our internal affairs by supporting the operations of its parallel structures in Kosovo, in breach of the Brussels Agreement reached on the 19 April 2013.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“As was revealed by Serbian officials, six youngsters were killed in Pee in 1998, the so-called Panda Bar case. Back then, the Kosovo Liberation Army was blamed. But the truth was, as stated by Serbian officials two years ago, Serbian paramilitary forces were the perpetrators of that terrible act. But no matter how Serbia acts, we will not allow Serbia to drag us into a discourse of hatred and impunity. We will move forward, and we hope that Serbia will join us and the rest of the region on this journey. After all, we are neighbours. We are committed to the dialogue in Brussels, but we also believe that the process needs to become more dynamic, and especially more results- oriented. Dialogue is important, but implementation and good faith are everything.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“We will also continue to fight for justice for the 1,262 children that were killed in Kosovo during the war by Serbian military and paramilitary forces - for most of whom no one ever went to trial, despite clear evidence on who the perpetrators were. While Kosovo goes to great lengths and undertakes unprecedented measures to contribute to peace and stability in the region, I must ask what Serbia doing. They want to erect a statue of Slobodan Milosevic. What is the message that Serbia wants to send to victims from Vukovar, Srebrenica and Kosovo? Is that how Serbia views reconciliation? Rehabilitating the most notorious war criminal in Europe since the Second World War? And, more important, what message is Serbia sending to its own people? After all, Milosevic and his regime were responsible for Serbian lives lost as well.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“That would be too heavy a burden to carry." Fahrije is still waiting for the remains of her husband. He is still classified as missing. Kosovo is ready to move on, but Serbia needs to be ready to let go. Serbia needs to reflect on its past and learn from it. We in Kosovo do not want to leave our children with any burden from the past. Last month, Kosovo President Hashim Thaci visited and paid his respects at two memorials honouring Serbian civilians killed after the 1999 war in Kosovo. Two of them were children. Although we never managed to shed light on those events, and bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice, nonetheless we will never condone Violence by anyone, and we will continue to ask for justice to be made. I would note that those acts happened at a time when our police and justice system was run by UNMIK.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“In that small village, 139 women became widows overnight, 500 children fatherless. But, because of Fahrije and other women like her, Krusa is no longer known only for its tragic past. After the war, they came back to find their houses in ashes. However, they did not despair; they did not lose themselves to hatred or revenge. They rebuilt their homes and they started working on their farms. They opened small businesses and shops, with very little or no institutional support. Because of Fahrije and other widows of Krusa, today there is smoke coming out of every chimney; there is life in that village. Despite Fahrije's tragic past, although she was never offered an apology, she talks about forgiveness: "I will never be able to forget what happened. But to forgive is human. A person cannot live if she or he does not forgive.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“A lot needs to be done to strengthen the rule of law and to fight corruption and organized crime, just like in any young country. Although, together with our international partners, tremendous work has been accomplished in that regard, we recognize that there is still more to be done. Our citizens deserve equal opportunities to prosper regardless of their ethnic, religious or political backgrounds. We owe it to them, as they, every day, more and more, are giving us reasons to be proud with their hard work, selfless dedication and sacrifice. We do not have to look far to be inspired by the extraordinary stories of our people. Take the story of Fahrije Hoti from the village of Krusha. Her husband, along with 241 civilians, was massacred by Serbian forces in March 1999.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“To justify my point, I am going to quote the report of the Secretary-General: "a fight erupted between a Kosovo Serb and a Kosovo Albanian over a parking space." (S/2016/666, para. 12) On a serious note, if the Council decides to hold a meeting every time people fight about parking spaces in New York, or any other place in the world for that matter, it would not have any time to talk about anything else. Another example from the report: "funds were stolen from the Orthodox Monastery of St. Jovan." (ibid., para. 27) Actually, it was tips that were stolen. Most of the incidents detailed in the UNMIK report are of that nature, and they have nothing to do with inter-ethnic violence. That is not to say that we live in paradise. Kosovo today is still not the Kosovo we dreamed and fought for.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“It faces challenges of course, but not the kind of challenges that would require us to meet every three months and take up the Councill's valuable time, which is in heavy demand for issues of much greater need and importance. Once we were a nation of refugees; today we are not. But there are 20 million refugees in the world today, the largest number since the Second World War. There are millions of women who are subjected to sexual violence in areas of conflict, just like our women were during the war in Kosovo. There are children who are in desperate need of food, medicine and shelter, just like our children once were. The millions that are spent annually to maintain the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK) could be put to much better use.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“Dozens of presidential statements have also been issued, including presidential statement S/PRST/2005/51, on 24 October 2005, wherein the Council called for the start of a political process to determine Kosovo's future status. In honouring the will of the people of Kosovo, and under the mediation of the Secretary-General's Special Representative, Kosovo has a final status. Kosovo is a free, independent and a sovereign State. And yet again, at Serbia's request, the International Court of Justice ruled unambiguously that Kosovo was within its rights when it declared independence and that it did not violate any international law, resolution 1244 (1999) or the constitutional framework. Kosovo today is a young republic.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“Ms. Citaku: It is always a great honour for me to be able to come here and speak before the Security Council on behalf of my country. It is not only an honour. It is also an emotional experience, because at times when we were voiceless, when our most basic human rights were being targeted in the most brutal way by the Serbian military and paramilitary forces, all in the Council spoke up. They became our voice and our hope. They restored our faith in humanity. They restored our belief that, no matter whether one is big or small, powerful or powerless, if you fight for a just cause, you are never alone. Since 1993 this organ has adopted seven resolutions related to Kosovo - resolutions calling for peace and putting an end to the war. For that we will be forever grateful.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“Limaj was indicted by the Basic Court, as confirmed by the Presiding Trial Judge of the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo, and he was found innocent. That is justice, and unlike other people we do not argue about the findings of the Court. There was a reference made to a church built in the centre of Pristina. Now, while we do not support any form of vandalism, let me say that this church is not a historic site. The church was built during the Milosevic regime. It is not a part of the cultural heritage; it is a political statement. Of course we will work closely with the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo to find an appropriate solution, but let us describe things as they are. We want peace. We want good-neighbourly relations. We want reconciliation. But those cannot be built on denial. The meeting rose at 12.55 pm.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“We have them as Ministers in the Government. There is sufficient budget allocated to meet their needs. But what they need to hear from Serbia is a message that Kosovo is their State and that Pristina is the address where they can resolve their problems. This ambiguity must end, because we can discuss many things but there is one thing we will never discuss - our right to exist as a free nation under the sun. Our independence is irreversible. Kosovo is a State. Of course it has problems, like any newborn. But I urge people to come and visit Kosovo and see with their own eyes the progress we have managed to make together. We have also heard references made here to Mr. Limaj's case. Mr.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“If you consistently repress, oppress and commit genocide, ethnic cleansing and mass murder, what is the justification of that State for maintaining control of that population? The opinion of the Court is public, so when I hear my colleague here saying all the time that he hopes that every single country in the world that has recognized Kosovo goes through what Serbia has gone through, I say: "I hope not". I hope that no people in the world will suffer and go through what we have gone through. We hear all the time about the 200,000 Serbs who left Kosovo. I want to reiterate that every single citizen of Kosovo is free to return - every single one of them. We have gone to great lengths and adopted unprecedented measures to accommodate the needs of all minority communities in Kosovo. We have reserved seats in Parliament.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“To claim today that I am not a Kosovar or a citizen of Kosovo, or that Albanians did not live in Kosovo is pitiful. We do not have to stop at the fourteenth century; we can go further back. But that is an argument for other forums. This is a Chamber where we discuss resolution 1244 (1999), and our point has been consistently clear. Resolution 1244 (1999) no longer fits the reality, and we all know why it cannot be replaced - for political reasons. At the end of the day, it was the International Court of Justice, the highest international legal body, that stated very clearly that Kosovo did not breach international law when it declared independence. It also stated very clearly that States exist for their citizens, and not the other way around.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“Ms. Citaku: It is unfortunate that, 17 years after the war - and I am talking here about a war that happened in the twentieth century - we see no remorse, regret or apology. I was a teenager during the war, and my colleague from Serbia was a senior State official. The least once should do is apologize for the atrocities and for the lives lost. Serbia caused the most horrific catastrophe in Europe since the Second World War. And we have yet to see condemnation of those atrocities, not only in Kosovo but also in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is a very bipolar approach. You cannot say that you are for reconciliation when we do not address the past. We can build a joint future in the region only if we speak in earnest about what happened, if we are honest about what happened.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“Some very important steps were taken recently in terms of legislation with a law on electronic procurement and, concretely, with the arrest of more than 50 people, including high-level officials, involved in organized crime. We are fully aware of the challenges that lie ahead of us, and we are committed to addressing all of them. It is our duty as a generation to leave behind not only a free and independent Kosovo, as we are aware that independence and freedom are not self-sufficient, but are just the preconditions for the creation of other values. Our duty is to leave behind a Kosovo that is more prosperous, in peace with all its neighbours and an active member of the global family. That is a goal worth fighting for.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“One need only visit the Innovation Centre of Kosovo in Pristina to find young women and men who, through science and research, are developing start-ups and much more, aiming to solve global problems. This is the strong Kosovo innovation community, oriented towards the future and based on knowledge and new technology, that has started to be widely recognized by the international community and to be awarded for its excellence. One need only visit Kosovo to see hope, but a different and better kind from that of my generation. It is an enthusiastic generation of hope and desire to excel and contribute to the community and to the world. Of course, we have problems, just like any newborn. We still need to work hard to strengthen the rule of law and to fight corruption and organized crime.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“All levels of our institutions, parties and civil society are strongly committed to combating this global threat. Members of the Security Council should visit Kosovo and witness first-hand how proud we are of our multicultural and multireligious society. We are a secular Republic that has become a champion in the region for interfaith dialogue. They will find in Kosovo many cities where mosques, Catholic and Orthodox churches share the same yard. But unlike our northern neighbour, we will never use or allow religion to divide and incite hatred. One need only visit Pristina to see the biggest asset we have: our young people. They represent a generation that, unlike mine, which dreamed only of survival, feels free and equal. They want to excel, innovate, compete and contribute.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“Dozens of non-governmental organizations that fed radicalization have been shut down. After a large number of arrests, including of imams, people are in trials for sowing intolerant attitudes and influencing vulnerable persons. And this year, no single Kosovar has joined ISIL. Kosovo sees ISIL as a common regional threat ~ a threat to Kosovo, to Serbia and to the rest of the Balkans. But, unfortunately, terrorism is not the only threat we face; equally dangerous are the keeping alive of the Milosevic dream and hate speech and rhetoric. Kosovo has never been and will never be a source of hatred towards others or a source of destabilization. We are Europeans, not only by the mere fact that we live on the European continent, but because we are Europeans in terms of ideals and aspirations.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“We share the same values, and more importantly, we share the same aspirations as the rest of Europe. Trying to label us as something we are not, trying to portray us as a nation that has no European cultural identity, is not only inaccurate; it is also unworthy of a country that is an EU candidate. In fact, the contrary is true. Kosovo is an active partner of the global coalition of nations set up to counter ISIL. Since the beginning, we have complied with the provisions of the Security Council resolutions urging countries to adopt legislation prohibiting the joining of armed conflicts by their citizens in countries outside their State territory. We have put in place the right mechanisms, legal acts and strategies to counter violent extremism. We have gone way beyond words.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“The inter- State dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, facilitated by the European Union, is not an objective on its own; nor would it be a success, ifit fails to normalize the relation between people. On behalf of the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo, I would like to reiterate that in line with our Constitution we will implement every single agreement we have reached with Serbia in Brussels. But then, how can we say we are working towards normalizing relations, if the Serbian President compares Kosovo to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)? Just last month, the Serbian President made that claim in Indonesia, and it was not the first time such a comparison was made. I would like to state loud and clear that Kosovo is a European country that aspires to become an EU member.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“That is the case of Rudnice, in the region of Raska, where, despite the expectations raised by statements made by the Serbian authorities that 250 corpses - the remains of the Victims * would be identified, only 54 Albanians have been found and reburied. They were innocent people executed in the massacres of Rezala and Cikatova. We cannot build peace and reconciliation by burying the truth. The truth must be told. And the truth must be accepted, no matter how painful or shameful it is. Denial is not the answer. Kosovo wants good- neighbourly relations. Kosovo wants a new chapter in the region, but that requires the same level of commitment from all sides.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“They were taken away by the Serbian military and paramilitary forces in the spring of 1999. She still waits for them and she needs them back. She, along with thousands of mothers from Kosovo, still wait for the whole truth or at least a proper burial for their loved ones. They want a place where they can mourn their lost family members. They demand answers. It is imperative that Serbia open its files and archives to help close this painful chapter in our recent history. The Serbian State, as has been documented, undertook unprecedented measures to hide the traces. They went as far as moving corpses from one mass grave to another and erected huge constructions on sites where the remains of human beings were buried.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“Our path towards European integration was sealed on 1 April when the Stabilization and Association Agreement between Kosovo and the EU entered into force. As High Representative Mogherini said, "this Agreement opens a new phase in the Kosovo- EU relationship and represents an important contribution to peace, stability and prosperity in Kosovo and the region at large". While we celebrate these great achievements - and Kosovars have many reasons to feel proud - there are families in Kosovo who are still mourning and for whom the war never ended. These are the families of the missing. For example, Mrs. Cerkezi, 17 years after the war, continues to serve the table for herself and the members of her family who are still missing: her husband and her four sons.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“We are now equal citizens of the European continent, sharing the same space and the same opportunities to travel. For us, this has added value, as one third of our population already lives in EU countries. While we are aware that visa liberalization is not the solution to the many challenges we face in creating a better environment and better living conditions for our citizens, we are also absolutely sure that visa liberalization will help our people move and travel freely, experience their continent and feel equal. Kosovar institutions and all political parties in the Government and the opposition worked hard to achieve this objective. While there are obvious disagreements among members of our political class, there is no division on our fundamental strategic orientation and aspiration for Euro-Atlantic integration.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source