Swiss Foreign Affairs Minister Ignazio Cassis has declared that relations between Kosovo and Switzerland are excellent and have a long history of co-operation.
After meeting with the first deputy prime minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diasporas Glauk Konjufca, Cassis has said this is his first visit to Pristina as a member of the Swiss government.
He has stressed that Switzerland was among the first countries to recognise Kosovo’s independence, even cutting off the powerful human ties that have been created through the Kosovo diaspora in this state.
Today I am in Pristina for the first time as a member of the Swiss government, although for years we have had constant meetings, but today it finally became possible and I am so glad to be in Pristina. Switzerland and Kosovo have a long history of intensive and excellent relations. We were among the first countries to recognise Kosovo’s independence, that in the first few hours, as it were, and our ties have become so strong even because we have been too open to open borders for many people from Kosovo who have come to Switzerland to work and live with their families, whom we know as the Kosovo diaspora, Cassis has declared.
He has also mentioned the number of Kosovo-born citizens living in Switzerland, saying it is about 500,000 people.
It’s about 500 thousand people, women, men and children, living in Switzerland and having either a Kosovo passport or at least come from this three-way, maybe even before Kosovo is recognised as a state. This accounts for almost 10 percent of the entire population, which naturally creates an extremely strong human bond. Besides, they’re football heroes in our country and I believe you understand what I mean by that, he said.
Cassis has also cited former President Vjosa Osmani’s state visit to Switzerland in March last year, naming it an important moment in bilateral relations.
He has announced that he expects Kosovo’s participation at the 10th European Political Community summit, to be held in Zurich in April next year.
Your former president Vjosa Osmani’s state visit in March last year was another significant moment in our bilateral relations. Also, I look forward to welcoming Kosovo at the 10th European Political Community summit, to be held in Zurich in April next year. I am really glad that Kosovo will participate in this summit, as I just heard, Cassis has declared.
Speaking of economic co-operation, the Swiss foreign minister has said Switzerland has been present in Kosovo since 1998, when it started with humanitarian aid, while later co-operation had become long-term partnerships.
I said, Switzerland has been present in Kosovo since 1998. At that time we started with humanitarian aid, while this has later become a long-term partnership. The new Swiss co-operation programme, which my colleague, Foreign Minister, mentioned for the period 2026,2029, is in full application, with a budget of about 20 million francs a year. This programme was launched last April, in the presence of Prime Minister Albin Kurti. The Prime Minister met him less than an hour ago. This programme supports reforms in Kosovo and its path towards European integration. Kosovo has noted visible progress. This will enable us as early as 2029 to move our co-operation to a new stage, in a phase of sustainable economic development, where investment, trade and job creation will have an important and central role, Cassis stressed.
He has also cited the Free Trade Agreement withEFTA, praising its importance for the development of economic exchanges between Kosovo and Switzerland. / EO
Source Layer: Dukeagini