Ambassador Jacobson’s Interview with RTK

January 25, 2013

Ambassador Jacobson’s Interview with RTK, January 25, 2013

Lorik Arifaj [speaking in Albanian]: Good evening dear viewers. The recent days were characterized by a tense situation in the Presevo Valley following the removal of the UCPMB monument, and distinguished was as well the meeting between PMs Thaçi and Dacic in Brussels which resulted with the agreement on the creation of the fund for the north. In order to discuss these developments and other important processes I have the pleasure to have in the studio the Ambassador of the United States of America, Madam Tracey Ann Jacobson. Madam Ambassador, good evening and welcome to the studio of the Radio Television of Kosovo.

Amb. Jacobson [speaking in Albanian]: Thank you. It’s my pleasure to talk with you.

L. Arifaj [speaking in Albanian]: Although the Ambassador has studied Albanian language and we’ve frequently seen her making statements in Albanian, we will do the interview in English and for viewers the simultaneous interpretation has been provided.

L. Arifaj [continues in English]: I would like to start with the recent developments from Brussels.  How do you evaluate the talks between Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi and Prime Minister of Serbia Dacic, and the agreement reached for the special fund for the north.  How do you see this fund is going to contribute to further advancing in the negotiation?

Amb. Jacobson:  Well, first of all I would like to say that the progress in the dialogue is great. It’s been fantastically facilitated by the European Union and I have to give credit to both Prime Ministers for working very hard, for working seriously in order to advance the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia which helps them both on the European path.  With regards to last meeting I think it’s more progress, we’re seeing more signs of progress, and in terms of the development fund for the north, we know that in the north the economic situation is not so good so any investments that can be made to increase the economic capacity I think it would be welcome up there.

L. Arifaj: Do you think that the Serbs from the northern part will agree to be the part of this agreement?

Amb. Jacobson:  Well, I know it’s a bit of a problem.  Today there were roadblocks, and yesterday, but this is a process.  It’s something new and I think that if everyone works together, in good faith, that progress can be achieved, and the real point of normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia is to create a better situation for people who live in Kosovo, including in the north… A stable, secure environment that will attract the necessary investment for the economy to grow, and for people to get on with their lives.

L. Arifaj: But the situation in the north is still tense, we know, and do you think we are going to see any “Ahtisaari Plus,” because lot of Serbian delegations, they had a statement about that Kosovo should give the north “Ahtisaari Plus. ” They want autonomy for the municipalities in the north. Are we going to see this or this is impossible?

Amb. Jacobson:  Well, let’s start from the basics. As Secretary Clinton has said, as Lady Ashton has said, these talks have to respect the reality of Kosovo in its territorial integrity. There’s not going to be any changes of borders.  But, that having been said, within the Constitution of Kosovo – never mind Ahtisaari – there are possible ways to decentralize power to municipalities. We’ve seen some of that in the south, with newly created municipalities, but also in the north there is the possibility to create municipalities which have their own authority over their budgets, over their personnel, within the larger context of an integrated Kosovo. And I think that is the path that we need to follow.

L. Arifaj: Well, we mentioned the fund.  The fund will be monitored by the European Union and there will be also members from the Kosovo Government and the representative from the northern part of Kosovo (NOTE: Arifaj actually said northern part of SERBIA on the recording).  What will be the role of the United States in this fund or in this monitoring process?

Amb. Jacobson:  Well, we’ve been very - I hope - good partners with European Union and with both countries as they’ve move forward down this path. We intend to stay very closely in touch with the European Union. We are in regular touch with Lady Ashton and her staff and I imagine that would continue. I don’t see a role for the United States per se in managing the development fund.  That is something that is going to be done by the European Union and by the EU Special Representative here.

L. Arifaj: Serbs in the north, they have announced that they are going to have a big protest at the end of the month. Do you think that this will have any influence in further talks between Serbs and Kosovars in Brussels, or…?

Amb. Jacobson:  Well, I think everyone is entitled to their opinion and I have no problem with peaceful protests.  I do have a problem with violent protests. The fact of the matter is – both Serbia and Kosovo have agreed to freedom of movement for EULEX in the north, and, unfortunately, that hasn’t happened over the last couple of days. So, this is an area that still needs more work.

L. Arifaj: Everything in Kosovo is connected with Albanians that live also in other states. We had tense situation recently in Presevo Valley. The Serbian Government decided forcefully to remove the monument of the veterans of the war. There were protests and there were lot of reactions about this. What is the stance of U.S. Government about this?

Amb. Jacobson:  First of all I think that it’s unfortunate that that situation with the monument in Presevo wasn’t resolved through dialogue, and I would encourage all the residents of Presevo to engage with the Government of Serbia in a process of dialogue to resolve their issues. I think what happened with the desecration of cemeteries and attacks on Serb Orthodox Church property is terrible, it’s shameful, and it’s embarrassing.  What kind of person attacks a cemetery to show displeasure with decisions made by living people in Belgrade?  So, we appreciated the Government’s quick response, quick condemnation of those acts, their willingness to refund, repair of those memorials, and we hope that the police will be able to catch and prosecute and punish the perpetrators of these crimes.  I think also that I’d like to mention that the media has a role to play here, in situations like this. I think it’s important that the media be objective and not inflammatory. And I would like to point out – earlier this week there was a story from RTK in fact, that said a Kosovo Intelligence Agency source had said that it was Serbs themselves attacking the cemeteries. That turned out not to be true and I think people deserve to know the truth. So, I would encourage all journalists working in Kosovo to be objective and to be sure of their facts before they put them in the media.    

L. Arifaj: There were a lot of ongoing situation that have links with Presevo. We have an announced protest for tomorrow of the Self-Determination Movement.  Also, we had three cars being burned by unknown perpetrators.  Do you think that the situation may escalate because of, maybe, support they want to give, but not in a proper way?

Amb. Jacobson:  As I said, I think people have a right to protest, it’s a democratic right, it exists at all societies, but as long as the protests are peaceful.  But when we start talking about burning cars, or breaking into buildings, or throwing rocks or fruits at people, I think this is not helpful, it’s not necessarily the kind of way that people in Kosovo want to portray themselves, either at home or before the international community.  

L. Arifaj:  Do you think that the Government reacted quick enough to condemn the attacks and also the role that they would be covering all the expenses for rebuilding of all the graves that were vandalized?

Amb. Jacobson:  I think these were very good decisions. The Government reacted the very next day to something that happened over night.  We also put out a statement -- the U.S. Embassy.  I know that the police already made some arrests and I would encourage the Government of Kosovo to be sure that those arrested are prosecuted, and if they are found to be guilty, receive some sort of punishment, appropriate to the crime.

L. Arifaj: We have a lot of ongoing developments also in political area in Kosovo. Now there were a lot of speculations about a new coalition, that when the AAK leader was freed from the Hauge Tribunal he would join the Government.  Do you have any comment on the new government and if that will be true in the upcoming days or months, are we going to see, maybe, new elections, or… ?

Amb. Jacobson:  I wouldn’t want to comment on any internal political issues in Kosovo with regards to the current coalition or future coalitions, but what I will say with regards to your question about elections is that I have been encouraging the Government of Kosovo and all the political parties to engage in a process of serious electoral reform. Everybody knows this is an outstanding issue. Constitutional reform that would allow for direct election of the President is also an important issue, and I realize that political parties and the Government have been very busy, including with this dialogue, including with internal party congresses, but really the time is now to move forward on the electoral reform.  We have municipal elections this year and time is running out to do an effective electoral reform and implementation.  So our stance is that it should occur soon, and that once those reforms have been implemented, then we can talk about elections.

L. Arifaj:  Yeah, because of the electoral reforms is stalled for the moment. There are some political parties that demand the resignation of the President because of the agreement that was reached at that time by Prime Minister Thaci, Pacolli and from the opposition Isa Mustafa,, with negotiation of the then-U.S. Ambassador Christopher Dell.  Do you think that this is a right request from them or this would help the electoral reform to get solved, or…?

Amb. Jacobson:  There is a court decision about the President’s mandate. She still has years left of her mandate. And I think we all have to respect the decisions of the court. Talking about that political agreement that occurred before I arrived, even that agreement -- which I think is superseded by the court decision -- even that agreement said that the President should resign after electoral reforms are implemented, and electoral reforms have not been implemented yet. It hasn’t even been decided what the electoral forms are going to be. So, we don’t see any reason that this agreement in the past should stop the process of the electoral reform going forward, and I am very glad that LDK led by Dr. Isa Mustafa has agreed that they would participate in the process of the electoral reform. I’ve even been to a meeting hosted by Mr. Mustafa to discuss this issue and so I think it’s time to move forward.

L. Arifaj: Are you satisfied with the work of Kosovo’s President, having in mind that she is the only female president in the region?

Amb. Jacobson:  Well, my own interactions with her, and my government’s interactions with her have been positive and productive. I think she’s doing a great job. I can’t imagine anyone else who could draw as much positive attention to Kosovo as the President has been able to do, and I look forward to continue working with her.

L. Arifaj: Also, you’ve met almost all political parties but the Self-Determination Movement. We have seen this also in past, that even Ambassador Dell didn’t meet them. Is there any stance against this movement or maybe we have any answer on this issue?

Amb. Jacobson:  Well, I think I’ve answered this question before, but I’m happy to answer it again. We do have working-level contacts with Vetevendosje, I’ve even met Mr. Kurti. I met him at that same meeting hosted by Isa Mustafa that I mentioned. However, we do have an issue with some of the tactics that Vetevendosje employs, including throwing things at people, demonstrations in which they have tried to break into government buildings, and sort of a policy of physical confrontation, which I don’t think is appropriate in a democratic society. I’d be happy to have a discussion with Vetevendosje if they were to move away from these sorts of tactics.

L. Arifaj: Let’s speak a little bit on economic issues. There is an ongoing process of privatization. Now we have postponed process of privatization of Post and Telecommunications of Kosovo, and we know that one of the companies from the United States has withdrawn from the process. How do you see the process in general, and do you think that Kosovo has enough conditions for foreign investors?

Amb. Jacobson:  Well, I think that process of privatization is really important. It’s tricky in a country that’s had a history of a communist past, or socially-owned enterprises, to move forward into a private sector-based economy. But it is important for the country’s economic future. And I’m not sure that the private business or the government is doing enough to talk to the people in Kosovo about benefits of privatization. The PTK privatization is the complicated privatization. We do still have bidders actively engaged and I hope that will move forward.   And I myself have had the chance to see the results of some successful privatizations. For example, last week I was at a company that produces galvanized steel and it was privatized for seven million dollars, the owners have invested another 25 million dollars and they are going to invest even more than that this year.  With the KEDS privatization, I know there are some people who think the price wasn’t high enough, but they should take into account the investment that the owner is willing to make into the electrical distribution network.  Something that is important for Kosovo’s long-term energy security.  So I think a strategic communication about the benefits of privatization is important and it’s also important to continue to be vigilant about the process so that it moves forward in a transparent way that will be an encouragement to other investors to consider coming to Kosovo.

L. Arifaj: But will this postponement of privatization of PTK will maybe have negative impact of other investors, although the reason for this postponement was the high interest of foreign countries.  Will it have any other influence in other privatization processes?

Amb. Jacobson:  I think it’s important to get this privatization right. And if that’s going to take an extra six weeks, it’s going to take an extra six weeks.  We would like to see the process move forward, but we’d like to see it move forward correctly with a good privatization, good result, good for the investor and good for Kosovo, and good for the consumers.

L. Arifaj: I want to go back a little bit about political issues. We had several parties from Albania and also one from Kosovo that are calling for a United Albania that if there will be border change between Kosovo and Serbia that they want to have a big Albania.  Do you have a comment on this because you mentioned that there is no border changing and this was made clear by Secretary Clinton.  How do you comment on these calls from these parties?

Amb. Jacobson:  Well, I think it’s unfortunate.  The borders in the Balkans are set.  And in terms of unity of Albanian people, I think the best thing is for the countries of the region to focus on joining the European Union, doing the work they need to do to join the European Union – to create Europe in their own countries. And that is the real key to success in the future.  And this idea of a greater Albania is not helpful.

L. Arifaj: Because Prime Minister of Serbia in one of his last interviews stated that he is willing to give Kosovo a chance to join United Nations but in exchange he would like to have something more, and in this case he wanted territory.  There were a lot of reactions also in Belgrade and in Pristina. Do you think that Serbia and Kosovo can block each other’s paths towards European Union and also United Nations membership?

Amb. Jacobson:  I hope that one of the results of this dialogue will be an agreement that Kosovo and Serbia won’t stand in each other’s way for membership in international organizations, including the European Union – including eventually the United Nations.  But this idea of territorial swaps is off the table.  Every time it comes up, it’s a distraction from the real work that needs to be done in moving dialogue forward. And I’m glad to see that that dialogue is moving forward despite the distractions.

L. Arifaj:  Also, Kosovo will now have in a few days a report from European Union about the liberalization process.  What can you expect from this although the United States has improved conditions in Kosovo by donating through several programs in Kosovo for improving procedures for passports and the like, but we have recently a scandal for passports with an Austrian company..Will this reflect negatively in this process of liberalization?

Amb. Jacobson:  Well, visa liberalization is really a process that’s run by the European Union, not by the United States so all I’d like to say from our perspective is that we’ll continue to work with institutions in Kosovo to help them develop the capabilities that they need to be responsible actors in an integrated Europe in the future, including in the area of Rule of Law.  As you know we provide a lot of assistance to police, prosecutors and also courts, but in other areas as well.

L. Arifaj: Kosovo in a few weeks is going to celebrate its fifth birthday. What do you think that the government and people should do for Kosovo to advance more?

Amb. Jacobson:  Well, I congratulate everyone in Kosovo on the upcoming anniversary of independence and I hope to see celebrations that truly reflective of the remarkable progress that Kosovo has made, but that are also forward looking and fully inclusive and respectful of Kosovo’s multi-ethnic democracy.

L. Arifaj: Are we going to see a bigger support from the United States in this process of recognitions for Kosovo?

Amb. Jacobson:  Of course we support Kosovo in terms of seeking recognitions. Secretary Clinton herself has been very active in this, and around the world, our Ambassadors and my colleagues from Washington are working with governments to try to convince them about the need to recognize Kosovo’s independence.  So we will continue to do that.

L. Arifaj: Madame Ambassador, thank you for your time and thank you for coming to our interview.

Amb. Jacobson:  Faleminderit.

L. Arifaj [speaking in Albanian]:  Dear viewers, this was an interview with the Ambassador of the United States of America, Tracey Ann Jacobson, with whom we talked about the latest political and economic developments in the country. Thank you for your attention and I invite you to stay with the programs of the Radio Television of Kosovo.