Veton Surroi of the Reformist Party ORA is hardly an extremist. Here's what he said to Voice of America in Albanian in an interview published on Saturday:


VOA: Mr. Surroi, in July the meeting between leaders of Kosovo and those of Serbia will take place. What is expected from those talks when it is known that parties based on yesterday's stances at the UN have not backed off from their positions?

Veton Surroi: We don't know yet what it is about since Mr. Ahtissari hasn't sent the invitations yet, but nevertheless we see that from Belgrade we don't have the least signal of cooperation in this negotiation process so you ask the right question.

VOA: Since there hasn't been a compromise, how do you see the future of these talks, I'm talking about the political status?

Surroi: Political status shouldn't even be discussed with Belgrade. Belgrade has lost a long time ago the right to think, let alone to discuss about the political status of Kosovo. Negotiations develop in two main planes; the first plane is what the level of interference of international community in the independent Kosovo will be, and this due to the unfortunate fact that Kosovo in the last seven years of bad government hasn't shown enough ability to function as a functional democratic state. The second plane has to do with the minority rights, that is what is the level of minority rights to be assured in Kosovo.

VOA: […] would you accept to negotiate for a limited sovereignty of Kosovo's independence and for e delay of the independence process, for its stages?

Surroi: Sovereignty is already limited for the mere fact that we are not talking for sovereignty as the other countries have, but for sovereignty accompanied with internationals presence. Our red line in this direction would be Kosovo an international subject. Kosovo at the end of this process must be a UN member.

VOA: Mr. Surroi, I would like to stop a little bit to the idea you expressed a little earlier for the absence of a functional state in Kosovo. As it's known, those that argument today against Kosovo independence among other things say that independent Kosovo would be an unstable place because of the widespread organized crime. How wide is this phenomenon in your society?

Surroi: I think the argument has to be seen differently. The fact that we have had here seven years of management from the UN hasn't created a functional democratic state is because it hasn't created a responsibility system. Only an independent state of Kosovo can be democratic and functional because it creates the relationship of responsibility with its citizens.

VOA: Mr. Surroi, Albanian leadership of Kosovo says that the situation of the Serb minority in Kosovo is secure and it has freedom of movement and adds that the idea that minorities are not safe is more a matter of image than reality. Representatives of Serb minority have different opinions. You have headed an attempt for the creation of a legal framework for minorities. What is you opinion for the situation of Serb minority? Will Kosovo fulfill this standard?

Surroi: Unfortunately we have a bad legacy with the Serb community in Kosovo. At the beginning due to the negative stance of Serb community, I say general responsibility with the Milosevic regime, meaning when Serb community was used for Milosevic's politics, but of course after the war there has been a punishment of Serb community in Kosovo. I can't say that Serb community is absolutely free, absolutely with all the rights. On the other hand it's not also true that this community has shown willingness to integrate in this society. So there still is a lot of work to be done in both directions.