Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan stated that Turkey has always been in favor of solving problems, including the tension in the Balkans, through dialogue, peace and negotiation, and said, “Our number one strategy is for Kosovo to be at peace and for the Balkans to be at peace.”
Fidan met with her compatriots at the program at the Motrat Qirazi School in Prizren, Kosovo.
In his speech here, Fidan stated that he brought lots of love and greetings from Turkey, especially President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s greetings, and said that the Turkish presence in Prizren is one of the most exceptional elements of the Turkish presence that has continued in the Balkans for 600 years.
Fidan expressed that Turkey is proud of the Turkish presence in Prizren and said, “It is a good thing that you exist. The fact that you have kept the Turkish language, Turkish culture, and Turkish history alive here for years despite all conditions, your presence here, your unity, solidarity, and greatness really mean a lot to us. Your well-being, living in peace, being in peace, and being in prosperity are truly one of our greatest concerns. The Republic of Turkey will continue to be by your side as it has been for years.”
Minister Fidan stated that he was proud and happy to be in a struggle with them in his personal life for the last 20 years of their existence here, which has been going on for 600 years, and to work together to keep this existence, culture and language alive.
Fidan stated that when he was appointed as the President of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) in 2003, he was given instructions by President Erdoğan, who was the prime minister at the time, to provide all kinds of assistance to the Turkish presence in Kosovo.
Fidan, who stated that President Erdoğan gave instructions to provide all kinds of support and activities required for the Turkish presence in Prizren, said that the activities and projects carried out by TIKA, especially regarding Turkish culture, had a great impact.
Minister Fidan emphasized that the projects implemented in places where there is a Turkish presence are a sign that Turkey is doing everything it can to make life a little easier for its compatriots there.
Stating that these were modest contributions, Fidan said, “But the bigger and more strategic approach is to have you in the memory and strategy of the Republic of Turkey, which has always been great and effective.”
Türkiye is one of the first countries to recognize Kosovo’s independence
Fidan, who drew attention to the fact that Turkey was one of the first countries to recognize Kosovo since the day it gained its independence, said, “The glorious struggle for independence of all our brothers here, especially our Albanian brothers, has been supported by the Republic of Turkey from the very beginning. Not only did we support them, my dear compatriots, but we have also continued to provide all kinds of support we can since that day.”
Fidan conveyed that in all the meetings he held in Pristina today, President Erdoğan emphasized his will to support Kosovo and that the state institutions stand by Kosovo in various fields such as trade, education, culture, energy, transportation, health and security and are ready for all kinds of cooperation.
People’s interaction between Kosovo and Türkiye has also increased
Pointing out that the number of tourists coming to Kosovo, especially from Turkey, has increased in recent years, Fidan said that there were many citizens from Turkey in the city center of North Macedonia where he was yesterday and that some of them would come to Kosovo later.
Minister Fidan stated that Turkish citizens came to these countries to see the traces and memories left by the Ottoman history in the Balkans in a package, and expressed that this interaction is now not only from Kosovo to Turkey, but also from those coming from Turkey to Kosovo, and that this is a new beginning and he hopes that this will continue to increase.
“Peace in the Balkans is our number one strategy”
Emphasizing that Turkey will continue to support Kosovo, Fidan said, “Our number one strategy is for Kosovo to be at peace and for the Balkans to be at peace.”
Fidan pointed out that tensions in the Balkans increased from time to time and emphasized that Turkey has always been in favor of solving problems through dialogue, peace and negotiation and has done its best for this purpose.
Stating that President Erdoğan has established communication with other political leaders in the region with the accumulation of political leadership he has built over the years, Fidan said that Turkey has done its best to solve the problems here in a way that is in the favor of all peoples, in their common interest and for their peace, and that it will continue to do so.
Efforts made to preserve Turkish language and culture
Fidan, who stated that since World War II, the compatriots in the region have put their lives on the line to keep the Turkish language and culture alive and that they have continued their efforts by establishing associations with limited resources, expressed his pride in seeing that the torch lit at that time continues to be carried on today in the projects they worked on during his term as TIKA President.
Fidan thanked the parents who send their children to schools that provide Turkish education, such as the Motrat Qirazi School, and ensured that they embrace their own language and culture, saying, “The struggle and effort you have put in to ensure that our children embrace their language, religion, culture and history is beyond all appreciation. No matter how much we appreciate this, it is still not enough. I thank you again and again.”
Fidan said that the existence of mothers who strive to ensure that their children study and learn Turkish language and culture is an example, and thanked them as well.
Turkish youth in Kosovo can receive education in Turkey
Fidan stated that young people who finish high school have the opportunity to study in Turkey and can come to Turkey with certain scholarships, and reminded that from now on, they have decided to offer education opportunities not only to students who pass the exam but also to students who register to universities in Turkey in return for the payment of their fees by Turkey.
Fidan, who stated that they have established a system where Turkish youth, especially those coming from Prizren and other regions of Kosovo, do not pay fees while receiving education in Turkey, just like young people studying in Turkey, said, “Of course, we have only one expectation from our youth. From now on, it will be essential that our youth, who study in Turkey and complete their education, come back here, continue to carry the flag from where it was left in our ancestral lands and raise it to higher levels.”
Kosovo and Türkiye have very close relations
Minister Fidan underlined that they were carrying out an exemplary cooperation with the Kosovo government and stated that the relations between the two countries had become incredibly close thanks to the opportunities they provided and Turkey’s strategy.
Fidan, drawing attention to the increasing investments of Turkish business people in Kosovo, said that Turkish Airlines flies to Kosovo 14 times a week and the time between Kosovo and Istanbul has decreased to almost one hour.
Fidan noted that such intense contact has turned the two countries into an area where they act as if they were a single country.
