Pristina, 5 October 2008

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Mr Hashim Thaçi, visited the work started a while ago on the asphalting of the road for the villages of Vinarc and Gushavc, which connects this region with the city of Mitrovica.

During his visit to Vinarc and Gushavc in the municipality of Mitrovica, Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi said he was quite encouraged with the commitment that was being shown in Mitrovica and that he felt particularly pleased that the Government of the Republic of Kosovo had had the opportunity, the responsibility, the willingness and the determination to invest in this part of the territory of the Republic of Kosovo, too.

“We have invested more than 4 million euros in road infrastructure, in new schools, in sewers and water pipes. More than 9 million euros will be invested just in the city of Mitrovica. The investments will continue, to make citizens’ life easier here in northern Mitrovica too, so that citizens can stay in their houses and on their property” said the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi.

“The situation in Mitrovica reflects the situation in our whole region, so I, as the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, and all the institutions of our country, will be there beside these citizens, citizens who will feel the support of their country, and this region will be at the top of the key priorities of our institutions” said Prime Minister Thaçi.

“This is the first investment of the post-war period. There has not been as much invested in the last six years as there has been in the last six or seven months. This is just the beginning, we will continue with even heavier investment to modernize this part of the territory of Kosovo too,” claimed the Prime Minister of the Republic.

During his visit to north Mitrovica, Prime Minister Thaçi also talked about smuggling in this part of the country.

“The government of the Republic of Kosovo is committed to stopping both corruption and smuggling, and to assert full authority, together with the international community, so that this part here where there is contravention, where there are negative elements, does not shut its eyes, but respects the law. The law will function in the entire territory of the Republic of Kosovo.”

“There will be no place in Kosovo for smugglers, for corruption, for organized crime and for people who don’t respect the law, irrespective of which community or ethnicity they belong to” said Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi.

Responding to the media about the recent declaration of the Serbian President Tadic about the division of Kosovo, the Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, stressed that the territorial integrity of the state of Kosovo is recognized and guaranteed internationally, while President Tadic was continuing to see visions from the era of Milosevic.