Hovenier: I haven't heard Pristina's proposal for resolving the issue with dinars

The US Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, said that he hadn't heard a proposal from Pristina regarding the resolution of issues with the dinar and believes that the Government of Kosovo was still working on it.

The US Ambassador in Pristina stated that the US position regarding the Central Bank of Kosovo's regulation on the dinar was clear and that it was not about the dinar itself, but rather concerns about the potential impact of the regulation's implementation on the Serbian community in Kosovo.

"We respect the jurisdiction of the Central Bank of Kosovo, and understand its responsibility to determine monetary policy throughout the territory of Kosovo," Hovenier said while addressing reporters after a meeting with Kosovo's Deputy Prime Minister, Besnik Bislimi.

He mentioned that the US concerns did not revolve around the dinar but rather the manner in which the regulation by the Central Bank of Kosovo had been implemented.

"We are concerned that, as my colleague Gabriel Escobar spoke about last week, the method of implementation could affect vulnerable groups, especially - but not exclusively - the Serbian community in Kosovo," Hovenier emphasized, adding that he hoped the implementation of the regulation would be adjusted to address these concerns, and discussions on this matter continue.

He expressed hope that talks in Brussels would yield results and that both the Serbian and Kosovar sides would find the best solution.

According to him, Bislimi did not present him with Pristina's proposal regarding the dinar.

"I think the government is still working on it," the ambassador stated, adding that the US wanted Pristina to be constructive.

In response to a question about commenting on the statement by the US Ambassador to Serbia, Christopher Hill, who said that at this moment Serbia had better relations with NATO than Kosovo, Hovenier explained that the main policy of the United States was for every country to have the freedom to decide which alliances it wanted to belong to.

"This applies to the people of Ukraine as well. We believe that the people of Ukraine should decide whether they want to be a part of NATO and the EU, and that they should not be pressured by others to make those decisions, in this case Russia. We are doing everything we can to stop the brutal invasion of Ukraine, but the essence is that states should decide for themselves which security alliances to join; that is the basis of US policy," he said.

Applying this to the region, as he stated, the United States was aware of and welcomed Kosovo's decision and desire to join NATO one day.

"We will do everything we can to support that goal. We believe it would contribute to regional stability and security. The US continues to vigorously support the people of Kosovo, the Kosovo Security Forces, and the transition to NATO territorial defense. We conduct training, and exercises, and sell weapons and equipment. Kosovo may have challenges with some other NATO members who do not see Kosovo as the US does, as an independent state. We want to see that changed," he notes.

As he says, the United States expects Kosovo to become a NATO member one day and is working towards that goal, emphasizing the importance of Kosovo taking steps towards NATO membership.

Responding to a question about security threats to Kosovo, Hovenier stated that he could only say that the United States stood with the people of Kosovo and was committed to ensuring security and safety in Kosovo.

"Kosovo benefits from having a huge NATO mission here, which is unique in the region. NATO forces include several hundred US soldiers who are here to ensure and provide a secure environment, and people should not be concerned about any attacks," Hovenier said.

He added that the United States was confident that NATO was ready to respond to any challenges.

"I think the people of Kosovo should not lose sleep over this because NATO is here, and they are ready to fulfill what is necessary," the US Ambassador to Kosovo said.

When asked to comment on Gabriel Escobar's statement that Kosovo had two more conditions to meet to become a member of the Council of Europe, Hovenier emphasized that Escobar had not said that, "but rather that the issue of membership in the Council of Europe is important and that some European countries have expressed additional concerns."

"Escobar did not speak on behalf of the United States, nor did he present the US position," Hovenier said.