Minister Edita Tahiri held meetings in Brussels

Brussels, 2 April 2015

Minister for Dialogue of the Republic of Kosovo, Edita Tahiri, during her stay in Brussels met with representatives of the European Union and discussed on accelerating the implementation of all agreements reached in Brussels Dialogue.

In these meetings, Tahiri highly appreciated the progress achieved in the dialogue during this period, by reaching an agreement on the Civil Protection and the agreement on Justice.

“These positive developments will boost this process and that should advance the implementation of agreements in the fields where stagnation and delays have been identified,” said Minister Tahiri.

Tahiri has especially focused on the telephony country code for Kosovo, the energy issues, removal of barricades over the Ibar River, and on vehicle insurances.

Both parties agreed on the need to increase efforts as for the implementation of the agreements.

Regarding free of movement, Minister Tahiri made a request for the opening of a new border crossing point between Kosovo and Serbia, “Kapia e Sfircës”, by notifying the EU that Mayors of Kamenica and Medvegja have made such a request to authorities of the respective states. She stressed that the Government of Kosovo is ready to engage in this regard, because this border crossing would facilitate freedom of movement of the citizens by reducing the distance for more than 100km.

Within the free movement, they also discussed about the obstacles that occurred upon the stop of the buses and trucks of Kosovo, by Serbian authorities.

Minister Tahiri also spoke about the positive actions that are being undertaken by the EU Office in Kosovo for the revitalization of the Iber Bridge and removal of the barricades.

While discussing on vehicle insurances, Minister Tahiri criticized Serbia for showing no willingness to sign the agreement on vehicle insurance, on which occasion she asked for greater commitment by the EU. She emphasized that for these agreements parties had invested nearly two years of negotiations and such delay are causing financial problems for citizens of both countries.

Minister Tahiri among others mentioned the necessity of to send Albanian books in Presevo Valley.

Delegation of the Republic of Kosovo was led by Minister Tahiri and political advisers, Dren Zeka and Gazmir Raci, both coordinators of Dialogue in Brussels and Ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo in Brussels, Mimoza Ahmetaj.