(By Zoran Culafic)

SLUG: In our series speaking with Kosovo-Albanian leadership, UNMIK on Air talks with Ramush Haradinaj, Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosova, or AAK:

Hello and welcome, this is UNMIK on Air.

In our series speaking with Kosovo-Albanian leadership, UNMIK on Air talks with Ramush Haradinaj, Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosova, AAK:

Good afternoon, sir:

UoA: In your own words, please describe the recent violence- why do you think it happened and was it organized?

Ramush Haradinaj: Our opinion is that it was a popular revolt, a citizen’s revolt. That’s came mostly because of the difficult position of citizens itself in the society, having in mind difficulties in economy, social difficulties, and at the same time the political process that is not progressing in the way that people expect it to. So I would say that this was a revolt against the situation itself, against the position of the people itself, and any way I don’t believe that this was an interethnic conflict or fight and especially not directed against Serbs of Kosova, but at the same time against the role of international community in Kosova, because in these protests we were hearing criticism about these institutions. So I think initially this was the position of the people, that moved people to the streets, and then naturally it escalated to the violence and to the criminal acts against properties, against individuals, and especially against Serb citizens of Kosova and their own properties and churches. We are really, really disappointed about this violence in Kosova; we deny this, we call this very a bad thing for Kosova, but myself and in the party believe that its not the right thing to be taken just by the consequences about what’s happen. It’s important to have courage to move ahead by not allowing the society to find itself again in the difficulties that they were in once.

UoA: Given that representatives of Kosovo Albanian leadership have condemned the violence of recent weeks, can the Kosovo political leadership provide the Serbs with what they are asking for; that is Security and a Normal Life?

Ramush Haradinaj: I can say on a personal basis and with the capacities that we represent in the institutions of Kosova – we can do more then that. We can do a better Kosova then it is today. Our difficulty is to do more and especially to guarantee the whole size of what we are going to do involves the position with competencies, with institutions of Kosova. Everyone knows that our possibilities are moral and political ones, but we miss the opportunity to act. I could say, if we would have another reality I would be the responsible and in the same time the guarantee. So I believe the way for more safety, not only for Serbs in Kosova in this way, but for everyone, is by establishing a functional government. That’s what we hope is going to happen next. The Serb families and Serb citizens of Kosova were in difficulties these days, that was not only for them, it was for all of us because we found ourselves in a situation that we don’t agree to be in. So I’m happy to see its normalizing and we are doing a lot of work on that to educate; to convince the people that street is not needed, especially not any more after this, and to give us time to establish and to build a functional society.

UoA: Under the circumstances, do you expect the situation to clam down in Kosovo, as in no resurgence of violence?

Ramush Haradinaj: We were a bit surprised the last time, even then I was not happy, I was one of the leaders that expressed criticism for the process. I myself was surprised about the size, so, we believe it’s calming down. Our idea is not to only hope, but it is to work to so that does not come again. That’s why we have regular meetings with the Prime Minister, with the people around, and we are informing ourselves much better now and looking into the society and passing the massage that action like that could destroy our way, our direction.

UoA: Some analysts and politicians argue that the violence was intended to force Serbs from smaller enclaves and villages to gather in certain major areas, so the division could be much easier. Do you agree?

Ramush Haradinaj: No, no; we are aware of the century that we are in, it’s the 21st century and our aim is integration, Euro Atlantic integration. So we are working for something different, for Kosova for all citizens of Kosova, and there are Serbs and there were before, too. At the same time we are not having in mind any idea of reorganizing the region, because we think if someone has in mid the idea of partition, that means opening again the question of all former Yugoslavia and the region. So we are aware of that and I’ll promise everyone that this is not in our mind and we strongly deny this. We think it’s not the right thing.

UoA: What about some practical issues, for example schools and health care? Do you believe that Serbs should have autonomy in such fields on the local level?

Ramush Haradinaj: My understanding is that Serbs are a part in Kosova, Kosovar Serbs, they are somehow investors in Kosova and they should have an income of independence of Kosova. That income should be in all fields, in culture, in economy field, social and political field, into society. And I would make just a difference between something that is called parallel structures; let’s say that is serving for education, for health, for some other needs. We believe this is not the most bad thing, and we are very happy somehow to transform all of that, lets say powers, that Serbs might have in Kosova. If they couldn’t develop this and a whole in cooperation we are happy that they still keep some functioning and that’s my top to integrate, but I think, yes, it’s going to be always possibility and a space, let’s say constitutional space, for Serbs to develop their own rights – education, culture, religion and some of political, because we believe they are going to succeed to reorganize Serbs of Kosova, in representing their own needs. I think it is important that Serbs of Kosova, and I think for Belgrade too, is important to convince Kosovar Serbs to organize themselves in the reality here. And in this way to survive and to develop their own, I would say all what is Serb in Kosova. I think this is the best and I hope it is going to be Serbs in Kosova in this election; that they are going to succeed in identifying their own needs in Kosova.

And that was Ramush Haradinaj, Leader of the AAk party, speaking with UNMIK on Air.

That is all for this edition of UNMIK on Air. Thanks for listening and stay tuned for more.