The chairman of the DP-Euro-Atlantic Democrats, Lulzim Basha, participated in the Subcommittee for the Western Balkans of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe that took place in Belgrade.

In his speech, Basha, among other things, spoke about Kosovo, where he said that it enjoys independence and this is an irreversible reality. He further stated that its membership in international organizations brings security not only for the citizens of Kosovo, but also for the minorities living there.

Basha also spoke about the terrorist attack in Banjska, where he said that those responsible have not yet been brought to justice. The head of the Euro-Atlantic Democrats further stated that it is Belgrade's responsibility to arrest the culprits who are still at large in Belgrade, and punish them.

FULL SPEECH OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE EUROATLANTIC DEMOCRATIC PARTY, LULZIM BASHA

Thank you very much, and thank you to the organizers. It is my first time in this subcommittee for the Western Balkans. I am here to talk about this first topic of challenges to our security. I want to be very direct.

It has become common practice to follow one of the oldest proverbs of incompetent and corrupt politicians hiding behind national flags, abusing nationalist rhetoric, abusing their own citizens, or their countrymen living in other countries of the world. the region. So the prevailing rhetoric is not about the rule of law, what is happening to the independent judiciary, what is happening to the end of impunity, what is happening to the fight against corruption, how can we raise revenue and lower cost of life for our citizens, how can we embrace the new digital age that is spreading across Europe and get our share of it?

How can we inspire hope in our younger generations? How can we cooperate in deeds and not just in words and spend more money on our infrastructure than on joint government conferences?

Instead of this rhetoric, we speak again in the same way as we did 20 years ago, because frozen conflicts are an alibi to escape responsibility, to undermine the rule of law, to undermine free elections, freedom of speech and freedom of the media. There is nothing better and easier than stirring up nationalist emotions to hide the failures of corrupt governments. But this will not help. It will only make things worse.

I want to take the example that was mentioned here, that of Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe. Now we all know that Kosovo is a member that benefits from the Venice Commission, as we all do, or at least we should benefit from the Venice Commission's advice on the constitutionality of our legislation. Kosovo also benefits. It is part of the banking system of the Council of Europe and is benefiting from loans and credits from the Council of Europe.

So what would full membership mean? Oh, besides, they have their own permanent delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly. They were there last week. They will come here tomorrow. So what else does full membership entail?

This means that Kosovo is obliged to implement the European Convention on Human Rights and is subject to the European Court of Human Rights, where any possible complaint from any citizen, including Kosovo Serbs, can be sent for a fair trial by the complainants. if they are not satisfied with the decisions of the domestic judicial system. This also means full participation in the congress of local authorities. It will provide the best expertise, assistance and oversight to local government in Kosovo, especially to local government units headed by leaders of Serb-majority municipalities. So why prevent Kosovo Serbs from benefiting from the protection of the European Court of Human Rights? Why prevent Kosovo's Serb-majority municipalities from benefiting from the expertise and support offered by the Congress of Local Authorities?

There is no answer to this.

Here the suspicion arises, to put it diplomatically, that the interest to abuse the Kosovo Serbs prevails over the concern to see them live normally in a Kosovo whose independence has been recognized by the majority of UN member states. And since we talked about Public International Law, its independence has been considered in accordance with International Law by the highest authority, which is the International Court of Justice. So, feeding hysteria instead of helping Kosovo Serbs with their daily lives is the wrong way to go. And this does not only apply to Kosovo.

I mean it. I said it in Strasbourg. I must say it in Belgrade as well. Although I am very happy to hear the commitment expressed here by the highest officials of our hosts to peace and stability, I must say that it is a breath of fresh air after the warmongering rhetoric, the parade of military equipment.

So this is a disconnected threat, serving a narrative that moves away from the real problems in our region, the real challenges to our security.

And it is very close to the agenda and point of view fostered by Russia, a clear opponent of the values ​​that unite us around this table and in the Council of Europe, and of our vision for all our countries to be members of the European Union as soon as possible. possible life. An adversary that clearly wants the Balkans to become a second front, to divert attention from their war in Ukraine, their unspeakable crimes and destruction in Ukraine, and the threats they continue to make to other countries, including Moldova and allies others. They talk about Russian peace, but it is anything but peace. It is war, war crimes and suffering. And their point of view is contrary to everything that European Integration represents. They rabidly nurture nationalist imperialism, for a world where one nation dominates other nations.

And pieces of this narrative can be heard in the Balkans. I still don't know what "Serbian World" means. Some colleagues said that we do not know what "Greater Albania" means. Well, let me tell you. Greater Albania, as far as I am concerned and as far as the leadership in Albania, Kosovo and the political leadership in North Macedonia is concerned, is a myth. We do not inspire "Greater Albania". We inspire the Republic of Albania, the Republic of North Macedonia, the Republic of Serbia, the Republic of Montenegro - members of the European Union, as a final solution, as a guarantee for human rights, socio-economic rights and national rights of all the Balkan nations.

Undermining the sovereignty of each of us, undermining the sovereignty of Kosovo, undermining the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina, undermining the sovereignty of Montenegro, is contrary to this.

A strong commitment is needed, which begins with the recognition of an irreversible reality. I mean, if the people in Belgrade and Nis know about it, why shouldn't the political leadership also embrace it? Why fuel another crisis?

Kosovo is independent! This is an irreversible reality. Why not end this and focus all our energy on what matters to our citizens? And this commitment must be demonstrated with actions.

A year ago, an attack took place on the territory of Kosovo. By well-trained and well-equipped forces that fortunately failed. But those responsible have not yet been brought to justice.

It is everyone's responsibility, including Belgrade, to do this. The main culprits are still at large here in Belgrade. And it may happen that we meet them in the corridors of hotels here in Belgrade. Impunity for such acts should not and cannot be tolerated. This is how commitment to peace and stability takes shape.

So yes, I think there is progress compared to decades ago. I believe that our citizens also see this progress. I think most citizens see that nationalist rhetoric, undermining each other's sovereignty, is just a trick to hide failures, to offer economic prosperity, opportunities, equality before the law, democratic elections, independent institutions.

The sooner we realize this, the sooner we realize that hiding our real problems and the real challenges of our security, which includes the failure of the rule of law, the failure to create and maintain independent institutions, including an independent judiciary, and the failure to organize uncontested democratic elections, will bring us to the table, not complaining, but as members of the European Union, which I believe is also the final solution to all our problems, real and artificial.