Thank you, Madam Chair,
Albania warmly welcomes Ambassador Michael Davenport to the Permanent Council. We thank him and his team for their hard work and for the comprehensive report on the activities of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and the main developments in the country.
We commend the close partnership that the Mission has with the institutions and people of the Republic of Kosova. The Mission’s work goes in support of the country’s reforms and communities, democratization, the rule of law, and the consolidation of institutions, while contributing to a culture of local ownership and shared purpose.
We appreciate the Mission’s continuous advocacy for dialogue, tolerance, religious rights, and prompt addressing of human rights and security issues. We welcome the Mission’s support for transparent and inclusive governance and its engagement with civil society as a key partner for social change.
We strongly believe in the role of women and youth in advancing inter- and intra-community dialogue, areas where the Mission is very active and effective.
The Mission continues to play an important role in supporting gender equality and advancing women’s public and political participation. The Mission’s advocacy at central and municipal level for respect for non-majority and vulnerable communities’ rights, as well as for women’s access to property rights is highly valuable.
Improving electoral processes, support to victims of domestic violence, strengthening journalists’ safety and integrity, preventing and combating serious and organized crimes and terrorism, and cyber security, are some other areas where the Mission’s work brings tangible benefits for the public.
The Mission’s support for community safety, including through a diverse and inclusive police service, continues to bring concrete results, as demonstrated by the 35 Kosova Serb women and men cadets who graduated alongside cadets from other communities in April.
Importantly, the Mission continues to enjoy the trust of all communities, including in times of tension. As the OSCE’s largest field operation and with its extensive presence across the country, the Mission continues to promote tolerance and build bridges between communities. It also gives an important contribution to regional advancements, including by supporting the implementation of agreements reached in the Dialogue, within its mandate.
The Mission in Kosovo continues to be a good example of the profound positive impact that OSCE field operations have, and in the Western Balkans that is particularly the case.
We appreciate the recent visit of Chairman-in-Office and Foreign Minister of Malta, Ian Borg to Kosova. We believe his first-hand experience and engagement with the highest state officials and actors on the ground helped to strengthen the partnership of the country’s institutions and society with OSCE.
We reiterate our conviction that it is essential that Kosova representatives are present at OSCE meetings when their country is discussed. We look forward to hearing again directly from them, at the earliest opportunity, about the positive impact of the OSCE work on the ground. We welcome Malta’s Chairpersonship’s intention to invite Kosova beneficiaries at the informal meeting to be held in conjunction with the next report in October.
Madam Chair,
Albania commends the impressive progress achieved by Kosova on democratization, economic growth, anticorruption, security, rule of law, elections, human rights and fundamental freedoms, and political rights and civil liberties. Kosova continues to advance on youth and women’s representation, including at the highest levels. We urge Kosova to persist on the path of comprehensive reforms.
As of 1 January, the people of Kosova gained visa-free travel to the Schengen area. We commend them for being good stewards of this long overdue but well-deserved freedom.
Albania wholeheartedly welcomes the Parliamentary Assembly’s recommendation for Kosova to join the Council of Europe, which was voted by an overwhelming majority. Kosova’s membership can only contribute to the reaffirmation of the Council’s own values. At the same time, it would help to consolidate the same values in Kosova itself, to the benefit of all its citizens, including the Serbian minority. We strongly hope that the Committee of Ministers will decide for Kosova to take up its rightful place as the Council of Europe’s newest member State, as early as the May Ministerial.
Albania supports the Government’s decision in March to implement the 2016 Constitutional Court decision concerning the land ownership of the Deçani Monastery. Likewise, we welcome the adoption of 2023-2027 Strategy for the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Communities.
On the international front, at this critical juncture for European security, we applaud Kosova’s clear and righteous positioning in solidarity with Ukraine.
Madam Chair,
Peace and reconciliation can never be sustainable unless justice is done and the crimes against humanity and genocide committed in Kosova in the 1990s are properly addressed. A quarter century later, survivors still struggle for healing and justice. Over 1,600 Kosova Albanians are still missing since the war. Work must not stop until all missing persons are accounted for. They deserve justice, their loved ones deserve answers.
To this day, Kosova faces attempts to destabilize it. The deadly terrorist attack of 24 September in Banjska was the gravest in a string of such attempts. It was yet another stark reminder that there is no alternative to enforcing the rule of law across the country. Regrettably, those responsible for the attack have not so far been held to account. They must be brought to justice the soonest, and we expect Belgrade to collaborate in full to that end.
Madam Chair,
Albania remains firmly supportive of the EU-facilitated dialogue between Kosova and Serbia. We welcome recent progress on vehicle licence plates, identity cards and energy. We urge the parties to implement in full, in good faith, and without delay the Agreement on the Path to Normalization and its Implementation Annex.
Consistent with legal requirements and following a process initiated by residents, on 21 April, mayoral recall votes were held in the four municipalities in the north. We regret that, following the announced boycott by the Srpska List, the Serbs in Kosova did not take part in the vote.
Likewise, we regret the widespread boycott of the ongoing population census in the north, pursuant to an announcement by the Srpska List. This is in contrast to elsewhere in Kosova, where OSCE field teams report readiness among Serb communities south of the Ibar to participate in the census.
Albania fully supports the improvement of the living situation for people across Kosova. The Serbs in Kosova are entitled to the best possible enjoyment of rights in the European landscape and have the right to be represented at all levels. For it to happen, political representatives must act responsibly and make use of the formidable space they have.
Any grievances can and should be addressed through institutional means and dialogue. We hope that the way will be found for the Serbs of Kosova to return to Kosova’s legitimate institutions.
We were glad to read in the Mission’s report that displaced persons continued to return to Kosova. We strongly encourage both Kosova and Serbia to continue working relentlessly for the good of the two countries and their people, including their respective minorities. This should be the case also for the Albanian minority in southern Serbia, where passivation of addresses, and inadequate investment and integration in the institutions remain a cause for concern.
Kosova-Serbia dialogue is the only way to peace. We urge the parties to work with political willpower and courage towards a better future.
Madam Chair, colleagues,
In closing, Albania remains unwavering in its commitment to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Western Balkans, and to continued co-operation with its neighbours, as we progress on our common European path.
Finally, since this may be Ambassador Davenport’s last appearance in the Permanent Council in his current capacity, I wish to give him sincere thanks for the excellent collaboration that we have had with him and his team in the past three years. His professionalism, dedication, leadership and diplomatic approach have been beneficial for everyone in Kosova, with wider benefits for our region. Ambassador Davenport, thank you and I wish you success in your future endeavors.
Thank you!
