Switzerland’s Foreign Affairs Minister Ignazio Cassis has excellently described relations between Kosovo and Switzerland, stressing the long history of co-operation and the strong ties the two countries have established over the years.
After meeting with the first deputy prime minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diasporas Glauk Konjufca, Cassis has declared this to be his first visit to Pristina as a member of the Swiss government.
He has recalled that Switzerland was among the first countries to recognise Kosovo’s independence, while as one of the main factors that have strengthened reports between the two states has isolated the Kosovo diaspora living and working in Switzerland.
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.
The head of Swiss diplomacy has also mentioned the number of citizens from Kosovo living in Switzerland, saying that it is about 500 thousand people, who make up almost 10 percent of this country’s population.
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 isolated former President Vjosa Osmani’s state visit to Switzerland in March last year, naming it an important moment in bilateral relations.
He has also indicated that he expects Kosovo’s participation at the 10th European Political Community summit, which will be held in Cyril 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.
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Source Layer: Signal
