First Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo and Minister of Foreign Affairs Behgjet Pacolli visited Bulgaria on April 20^th. He spoke with Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva, with Chair of the Foreign Policy Committee Djema Grozdanova and with Defense Minister Krassimir Karakachanov. An economic forum took place within the frames of the visit, organized by the Bulgarian Palace of Commerce together with Kosovo’s Trade Palace and with companies from different sectors participating.

In an interview for Radio Bulgaria Minister Pacolli said: ‘”This has been a regular meeting, coinciding with Bulgaria’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Your foreign minister had the same visit to Kosovo before that.”

The Kosovo vice premier placed an accent on the forthcoming EU – Western Balkans Summit in Sofia in May, voicing to the public his expectations that it would be a meeting where all the states would be equally placed. He underlined that good coexistence was the only alternative we had. Mr. Pacolli expressed his hope that the summit would contribute to Kosovo’s progress en route to European integration and that Bulgaria would provide support for the achieving of a better dialogue with the five EU member-states which haven’t yet recognized Kosovo’s independence – Romania, Spain, Cyprus, Greece and Slovakia, as well as for the solving of the problems between Belgrade and Pristina. Minister Pacolli said the negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia were “perhaps the most important ones during any Presidency of the Council of the EU”.

The Kosovo politician stated firmly that any parallel between Kosovo and Catalonia was impossible. “The independence of Kosovo was related with preserving the possibility for existence of a nation that had been chased away from its homes during the rule of Milošević. The situation with Catalonia is completely different. We have defended our universal right of independence and the International Court has also recognized that basic right of the Kosovo people. It states in an official document the legitimacy of Kosovo’s independence and not a single text of any international law has been violated by its proclaiming,” Minister Pacolli explained.

“Bulgaria is one of the states which have recognized Kosovo and this is essential for us. We do thank the Bulgarian people and government for this gesture. Kosovo will at any time try not to disappoint Bulgaria,” Mr. Pacolli said, expressing his gratitude. He then went on to say: “These are two countries that know each other; they have common culture and traditional relations. There are very good business opportunities between us. This all should be used and business people in Bulgaria should take Kosovo’s market as a very important one - and vice versa. Turnover of EUR 60 mln. per year is not enough for sure. This market should be much bigger and there are options for achieving that. I would love to see enhanced cooperation in the economic sphere. Both Kosovo and Bulgaria should cooperate for its easing.”

As far as the EC recommendations on Kosovo in its latest report were concerned, Minister Pacolli made the following commentary: "Kosovo is a small country with very young democracy – a state, which received its independence only a decade ago. Our opinion on several recommendations in the report is a bit different, but we accept all the remarks and will do our best to make up for the gaps. We will do our best to see a positive report next time. The striving for a better life of citizens still remains our greatest challenge. Our actions are continuously aimed at the functioning of the law against organized crime, corruption etc. This is not related to Kosovo only, but to the entire region and it is a goal that must be achieved. I hope that we have headed into the right direction.”

English version: Zhivko Stanchev