Evidence of meeting #39 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was region.
A recording is available from Parliament.
H.E. Adriatik Kryeziu
The media has been causing a lot of problems in Kosovo recently, as are the people who are undercover. I don't know if you are aware, but in Serbia, in the second- or third-largest city, Niš, there is a humanitarian centre called The Russian-Serbian Humanitarian Center, which is a centre of undercover people that does everything. On a daily basis, these people try to jeopardize everything that Canada and other partners that have invested in Kosovo have done. They are trying to orchestrate another conflict zone, so they target northern Kosovo. That's why, in 2023, we had that unpleasant situation in Banjska.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ahmed Hussen
Thank you very much.
We go next to Monsieur Brunelle-Duceppe.
You have the floor for six minutes.
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Ambassador, it's a pleasure to see you again. Welcome to the committee.
In April 2024, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe overwhelmingly voted—with 131 votes in favour, 29 against and 11 abstentions—in favour of a recommendation to invite Kosovo to become a member of the organization. However, the Council of Europe's ministers did not act on that recommendation.
How can we view the possibility of Kosovo one day becoming part of the Council of Europe in a positive light?
H.E. Adriatik Kryeziu
I am thankful and grateful for Canada's team in the Council of Europe. You are not a member of the Council of Europe, but you still have status as an associate member, as an observer country. Thanks to you, Kosovo has been doing quite a lot with regard to joining the Council of Europe.
As I mentioned, the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia is essential. We have to find a way to open other chapters, and this directly affects the Council of Europe. More or less at the time that Banjska happened in Kosovo, in 2023, somehow the dialogue did not go well for a couple of years. The geopolitics and geostrategies also changed in our region, and we were somewhat cautious about how to deal with Serbia. We were more focused on dealing with and coordinating our efforts and our commitment with the EU and NATO partners in order to keep Serbia under control—as well as the Russians, who have been working and present in Serbia. They have been trying to start something in our region, particularly in Kosovo but also in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
Could you tell the committee what it would mean for Kosovo to become a member of the Council of Europe? How important would that be to your country?
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
How significant would your country’s accession to the Council of Europe be? How important would Kosovo's broader European integration be? How important would that be for the country? What would be the positive consequences?
For the benefit of the committee, can you explain how such membership would change the lives of Kosovars? Can you also tell us how it would change the political landscape for future governments and the current government?
H.E. Adriatik Kryeziu
It might help our efforts to join the European Union in the shorter way. It also might help us to be closer to Europe and help Europe to understand better what Kosovo has done for the Serbian community, another community that lives in Kosovo.
Also, it might help Kosovo to have candidate status to join the European Union. This is a kind of requirement. You first have to be a member of the Council of Europe in order to have that status—and to perform better and to upgrade your status within the European Union and thus for Kosovo.
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
Canada did, after all, have some influence. Obviously, Canada recognized Kosovo in 2008. In my opinion, significant ties have been created between Canada and Kosovo precisely as a result of this recognition. I think Canada—and this is coming from a Quebec separatist—did a good job advocating for Kosovo’s cause.
Now, do you feel that this Canadian influence is waning? We've talked about Russia and China. Do you feel that Canada's influence—regardless of the decisions made by the various Canadian governments—is waning compared to that of other powers that are clearly gaining much more strength and significance in terms of their influence on what is currently happening in Kosovo and on Kosovo's future?
H.E. Adriatik Kryeziu
We are honoured and thankful to have Canada as one of the first countries to recognize Kosovo as an independent country. We are also honoured to say that for me as ambassador, and being here for six years, I've been able to work very closely with the provincial Government of Quebec. I'm honoured to say today that our cadets are in the Saint-Jean military academy and have been training for months.
The relationship between Kosovo and Canada is special, including here, with the relationship with Quebec. Also, we are proud to have a diaspora in Quebec. It is a small but well-integrated diaspora and a diaspora that makes a contribution to the Canadian economy and Canadian diversity.
This is from my perspective. I'm not in a position to say more on this kind of relationship, but....
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
I completely understand. I'm pleased because Canada is good at recognizing new countries.
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
It would be the first to recognize the country of Quebec.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ahmed Hussen
—we'll have to wait for the next round.
We'll start the next round with Mr. Aboultaif.
In the interest of time, we'll do four minutes each, except for Monsieur Brunelle-Duceppe, of course.
Please go ahead.
Conservative
Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB
Thank you, Chair.
Your Excellency, welcome to the committee and thanks for appearing today.
Kosovo has ambitions to enter the EU and NATO—two different things, two big goals—and congratulations on being on this mission to do so. What do you think are the main difficulties you have in fulfilling those dreams?
Conservative
Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB
What is the main difficulty, and what is standing in the way of your becoming a member of the EU and NATO?
H.E. Adriatik Kryeziu
When it comes to the EU, the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia is becoming something of a headache for our joining the EU. We want to join the EU because we have been working so hard for years and we've fulfilled a lot of criteria, but the dialogue is one of the big issues that we are having.
In regard to NATO, I have seen the geopolitics and geostrategy, and that's why I'm calling on and asking Canadians—friends and allies—to reflect and to push for Kosovo to join NATO as soon as possible.
Conservative
Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB
Is there a political deadlock? You have had three elections in a year. Is that one of the reasons that you can't move ahead? Do you believe that this is not really working to your benefit?
H.E. Adriatik Kryeziu
In Kosovo, we continue to advance in the field of security training and strategic objectives with the NATO alliance. Kosovo applies NATO standards, doctrines and the same commitments. We do consider that we have been working and doing everything in our capacity to see ourselves as soon as possible as part of the organization.
Conservative
Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB
The relationship with Serbia is basically tense. You have a Serbian diaspora in Kosovo. Can you tell us, what effort is the Government of Kosovo making to basically reduce that tension? That could be one of the roadblocks in the way. Can you tell us again about the efforts of the government to reduce that tension and to move ahead?
H.E. Adriatik Kryeziu
In Kosovo, we are doing everything in our power to reduce the tensions and to have a serious dialogue with Serbia. The Republic of Kosovo remains firmly committed to ensuring that the Serbian community in Kosovo is fully protected, represented and integrated within the country's constitutional and international framework, but it's Serbian leadership from Belgrade that interferes, puts their hands in the north of Kosovo and tries to keep that part of Kosovo as an unstable zone—
