Hashim Thaçi: Kosovo, a country that is safe for all of its citizens

At the opening of the 62nd meeting of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi congratulated the members of his Cabinet for their commitment and work in fulfilling their obligations as part of the government’s program.

“The Government of the Republic of Kosovo has continued to take responsibility and to be committed to returning all of its citizens to their property. Part of this commitment is the rebuilding of houses destroyed in the north of Mitrovica,” said Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi.

Prime Minister Thaçi expressed the position of the Kosovar Government for continuing its commitments in this direction and invited all Kosovar citizens to return to their property.

“Kosovo is a country that is safe for all of its citizens,” said Prime Minister Thaçi, in his speech.

International community Serbia’s only partner in Kosovo

Minister for Kosovo-Metohija Goran Bogdanovic stated that Serbia is not fully pleased with the EULEX mission in Kosovo, adding that the international community is the Serbian government’s only partner in the province.

Bogdanovic told the Beta news agency that the government accepted the deployment of EULEX on the entire territory of Kosovo, adding that unfortunately, it is not satisfied with its activities.

He said suspicions in EULEX’s work were raised by the latest events in Brdjani residential area in northern Kosovska Mitrovica where Serbs are protesting because of the breach of the agreement to prevent the renovation of Albanian houses in a certain part of the residential area.

He said the government must cooperate with someone in Kosovo, that is, with the international community representatives, EULEX, UNMIK and Kfor, despite the fact they showed partially on a number of occasions.

The Minister said that electricity supply in Serb inhabited areas in the province has been an open issue for ten years.

He said Serbs are not against paying electricity bills, which they showed by starting to pay them off.

He explained that the issue must be resolved systematically and not from one village to another, adding that it is unacceptable that the Kosovo Energy Corporation or anyone else blackmails Serbs with electricity.

He said Serbs and other non-ethnic Albanians are constantly under pressure in the province, adding that the Ministry for Kosovo-Metohija offered to pay electricity bills for the most vulnerable groups in the southern Serbian province.

Germany, Kosovo strengthen economic cooperation

A large delegation from the German business community are in a two day visit in Kosovo meeting with Kosovar business community, Kosova Chamber of Commerce and Kosovo Government economic and trade officials.

Businessmen from Germany have arrived in Kosovo with a clear purpose to learn about the economic environment and investment opportunities, first in manufacturing.

During the meeting was stressed the support of the initiative the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce to establish the Kosovar-German Business Association. Also was noted the necessary assessment to be applied to use all resources aiming to broaden and deepen the economic cooperation between the two countries.

Incidentally, the need to use the potentials and professional expertise of members of the Kosovo Diaspora who live and work was stressed in Germany as well.

Deputy German Ambassador to Kosovo Eckart Blaurock pledged that his country's embassy will have as a high priority economic cooperation between the two countries.

Kosovar Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the Union of German Chambers of Trade and Industry with their office in Skopje, organized yesterday the presentation of the SES - Senior Service expert from Germany.

SES is a non-profit organization which is supported by industry and the Federal Government of Germany. The German government sends these experts in small enterprises and medium-sized enterprises with the aim to support and promotion of their business.

Representatives of the business community from Kosovo who attended the presentation expressed interest for the realization of collaboration with imminent business from Germany.