Your Excellency, Madam President,
Honorable Mr Speaker of the Parliament,
Distinguished Deputy Mr Hyseni (head of the Delegation of the Assembly of Kosovo to the NATO PA),
Dear representatives of the DCAF (center for the democratic control of armed forces based in Geneva)
Respected Participants,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure for me to welcome you, on behalf of the Swiss Government, at this 102nd Rose-Roth Seminar where our discussions will focus on a shared goad, that is the promotion of a stable, peaceful and democratic future for the Western Balkans in the context of the region’s European integration.
As Switzerland’s representative, I sincerely welcome the fact that Kosovo is hosting – actually for the second time – the Rose-Roth Seminar in its capital, Pristina. This is certainly an expression of Kosovo’s commitment to contribute to security not only in the region but also in Europe and beyond.
In this respect, allow me to take this opportunity to thank the Kosovo authorities and in particular the Kosovo National Assembly for its active support to the organization of this ambitious three-day gathering.
In light of Russia’s unjustified and destructive aggression of Ukraine, contrary to international rules and our core values, discussing about security related concerns on the European continent, including in this region, seems, somewhat unfortunately, more relevant than ever.
Considering current and future security challenges, promoting democratic standards as well as upholding the crucial oversight role of the Parliaments is of utmost importance.
It is actually with this goal in mind that Switzerland has been over the years supporting exchanges among Parliamentarians in the framework of the Rose-Roth seminars, including with experts and MPs from a vast range of NATO partners and allies.
With respect to the Western Balkans specifically, the promotion of peace and stability in the region remains one of Switzerland’s foreign policy priorities. A priority which is also linked to unique human ties considering the very large proportion of the Swiss population which has actually roots in the region.
Switzerland’s contribution to peace and stability in the Western Balkans is manifolds, ranging from: significant socioeconomic and infrastructure programmes, support to the rule of law, the fight against corruption and organised crime; the promotion of dialogue and reconciliation between communities, including in the context of the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia; to military support and demining.
Our contributions to KFOR and EUFOR-Althea are actually and by far our largest international peacekeeping missions.
The Russian aggression in Ukraine has actually made NATO’s continued presence in the region as well as the further development of cooperative security even more necessary.
It is indeed only through greater cooperation, including within NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly and the Partnership for Peace, that we shall uphold our common values and strengthen security throughout the Euro-Atlantic area.
Ladies and gentlemen,
To conclude, allow me to assure you of Switzerland’s intention to increase its cooperation with both NATO and the EU and thereby to remain a strong partner contributing to security in the heart of Europe.
I thank you for your attention and wish you all fruitful exchanges as part of our joint commitment to overcome security challenges in the region.
