The Prime Minister of the country, Albin Kurti, has commented on the statements of the US Assistant Secretary of State, James O’Brien, where he says that “if we are not treated as a partner, we will not treat the government of Kosovo as a partner either”.

Prime Minister Kurti emphasized that the partnership with America is not in jeopardy, and added that Kosovo has no more important partner, ally and friend than the USA. While he said that constitutionality and legality are a priority of his government, also regarding the CBK regulation.

“The Republic of Kosovo does not have a more important partner, ally and friend than the USA, that’s how I consider and cooperate as the prime minister of the Republic of Kosovo. CBK has presented a ten-point plan for the implementation of its regulation. We are a democratic Republic, the government does not overlap independent state institutions such as the CBK, and among these ten points as a work plan for the implementation of the regulation, the CBK has not foreseen any punitive measures. So without punishment, incidents, we want to move forward. Constitutionality and legality are our priority, but at the same time we also care about peace and security, we also care about the well-being of Serbian citizens. I am the prime minister who does not want the citizens to have less money, I want them to have more money. CBK has sent a letter to the People’s Bank of Serbia, we hope they will respond. The dinar has not been banned in Kosovo, it is about the dinar as a means of payment, not about the dinar that citizens can have. We don’t want to punish anyone with any measures, but to make this transition so that every financial transaction is legalized, formalized… The partnership with America is not being jeopardized,” said Kurti.

Kurti made these comments after the inauguration ceremony of the MRI project at the Regional Hospital of Prizren.

Kurti also added that they will give time to the transition regarding the implementation of the regulation of the Central Bank of Kosovo.

“After liberation in 1999 we had the German mark, from January 2002 we have the European euro, no one is saying use the Albanian lek or the new Kosovar currency Dardan, but the euro, it is European. I don’t believe that the Serbian citizens are the ones who see this problem, but of course the official Belgrade that does not accept independence and does not accept the crimes committed before 25 years in Kosovo that reached the proportions of genocide, is the one that brings these warnings. Therefore, we will give time to the transition, CBK leads with the ten-point steps, we will also give our contribution for the most ‘smooth’ implementation and as for CBK, for our democratic building state, for our financial system, we are also grateful, grateful to the USA for contributing not only 16 years of independent state but 25 years of liberated Kosovo”, declared Kurti.

Asked what the Government is doing to actualize the problem of the crimes committed by Serbia, Kurti said that Kosovo has established the Institute for research and documentation of crimes and has called on the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office of Kosovo to be as active as possible in pursuing these crimes committed by Serbia.

Prime Minister Kurti also spoke about Serbia’s threats to Kosovo. He said Kosovo is getting stronger with our NATO and EU partners and allies.