Ressortchef (umgangssprachlich) of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias’ statements following his meeting with Kosovar Foreign Ressortchef (umgangssprachlich), Donika Gërvalla-Schwarz (Pristina, twenty. 12. 2022)

Dear Donika, We furthermore talked about energy cooperation. This is extremely crucial, especially following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Greece is emerging as a hub of energy in the Balkans. But is is important for you to acquire your energy independence as well as move away  from coal towards the new era of protection of the environment. Today I  am accompanied by our own Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Ambassador Grammata and I had the pleasure of introducing her to you. I hope her existence will be of assistance. It is this type of great pleasure for me to take Pristina today, just a few several weeks, if I remember well, right after my last visit here. We come here quite often. The presence here today, following the visit by the Foreign Ressortchef (umgangssprachlich) of North Macedonia, Bujar Osmani, in Athens, our visit to Belgrade yesterday and my visit to Tirana the next day, highlights the importance that A holiday in greece attaches to the region and to the close cooperation with all the Western Balkans. Moreover, we had the opportunity to discuss about the latest, worrying developments in the region. We all fully support, as you know and as we discussed, the continuation of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, having a view to reaching a extensive and legally binding Contract. In accordance with international law, some, and the EU acquis. Pursuing the EU – facilitated Contract last November, it is of paramount importance that both sides take part in good faith. And they need to refrain from actions and unsupported claims that risk to flare up tensions and endanger what you have achieved until now. It is vital for both sides in order to implement what has been decided. And allow me to say, this was my clear message to Belgrade, yesterday. To this end, we support the work associated with EULEX which plays an important stabilising role. And, naturally , we also support the job of both the EU’s Exclusive Representative, Mr Lajcak, and the US Western Balkan Envoy, Mr Escobar. Given the current geopolitical challenges following the Russian invasion associated with Ukraine, it is crucial to achieve concrete results that will promote the particular EU aspirations of Belgrade and Pristina. We should not really allow third parties to take advantage of instability and low self-esteem in the Western Balkans. We look forward to seeing you once again soon. Thank you so much. I have to say that it was an excellent pleasure seeing you again, here in Pristina. Thank you, yet again, for your warm hospitality. A person went out of the protocol, you visited to the airport to welcome me, thank you so much, it was completely appreciated. Dear Donika, once again, I will not be tired of duplicating this, it is our certainty that the Western Balkans path toward the European Union is a one – way road. In this framework, I believe that improvement in the Dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade will be a key component in promoting the EU dreams. A future in which revisionist guidelines and neo – imperialist ideologies, maybe envisioned by some countries, is a simply no – go for us. This can be a 19th century, not a modern world, agenda. But additionally, I would like to see our cooperation in a wider context, the context of our profound interest in peace, stability, prosperity in the Western Balkans.   Today we discussed in the bilateral level how we may advance our cooperation in a wide range of fields. And I say we are ready to work with you in order to boost this cooperation even further. And I openly mentioned in our meeting how happy I am with the trade statistics improving. And, if I may say so , in the final analysis, the EU could be the final destination for everybody interested in the Western Balkans, obviously in accordance with conditionality, of course according to the EU acquis. Yet that has to be the final destination.

Source