On Friday 8 March 2013 the Hellenic Foundation for European & Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) organised a roundtable discussion with the participation of Foreign Minister of Kosovo. Enver Hoxhaj. Mr Hohhaj’s speech was entitled: ‘The policy challenges of contemporary Kosovo: The view from Prishtina’. Dr. Armakolas, ‘Stavros Kostopoulos’ Research Fellow and Head of the SEE programme at ELIAMEP moderated the discussion, which followed.
During his address, Mr. Hoxhaj discussed the significance of relations between Greece and Kosovo and emphasised his appreciation for Greek history and culture, which he studied in his period as an academic, before he joined politics. He also expressed his gratitude for the Greek support during the years of Kosovars’ fight for “freedom and dignity”. Among other things he discussed issues of policy making in contemporary Kosovo, the international community-led state-building effort, the EU accession prospects and the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, the question of the Serb community and the so-called ‘parallel institutions’ of the North Kosovo, as well as the implementation of the Ahtisaari plan and other issues. Mr Hoxhaj emphasised the potential for an increase of the relations and collaboration between Greece and Kosovo in the fields of economy and trade, education and culture. He also pointed out the constructive role of the Greek diplomacy both in Kosovo and in international fora, despite the fact that Greece does not recognise the independence of Kosovo.