The leadership of the Government and Parliament of the Republic of Kosovo  met yesterday with the President of the Chamber of Representatives of Belgium, Mr. Herman Van Rompuy, with whom they discussed developments in the region and the cooperation between Kosovo and Belgium.

 
Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi and Parliament Speaker Jakup Krasniqi expressed the Kosovar gratitude to the people and the state of Belgium for their continual support for Kosovo, and they committed to further strengthening the relations between Kosovo and Belgium.
 
Prime Minister Thaçi informed the President of the Chamber of Representatives of Belgium on the developments and progress achieved in Kosovo and the commitment of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo to continue on the path to building a democratic society ready to integrate into the Euro-Atlantic structures.
 
President of the Chamber of Representatives Herman Van Rompuy congratulated Prime Minister Thaçi on the progress achieved in building democracy and governance in Kosovo and he expressed his readiness to continue support from the Belgian state for the sustainable development of democracy and for economic development in Kosovo.
 
He also gave a solemn speech at Parliament of the Republic of Kosovo emphasizing that Kosovo has a powerful ally in Brussels.
 
"Kosovo has a powerful ally in Brussels that will support its aspirations to integrate into the European Union. The Republic of Kosovo has its place in European Union and Prishtina has to quick steps to catch its seat in the family of European Union," ending with an emphatic support "Long live independent and multi-ethnic Kosovo," said Herman Van Rompuy, President of the Chamber of Representatives of Belgium.
 
Speaking of the current situation, he said:
 
"With the declaration of independence and the entry into force of the Constitution on 15 June 2008, Kosovo finally achieved statehood. The international community is no longer present in Kosovo to impose its views, but merely to support and advise.

What is crucial about this is that the security and stability of the region should be guaranteed. In that regard, I welcome the repeated call by the leaders of Kosovo for respect and tolerance between all the communities in Kosovo. One of the key features of the Ahtisaari Plan is the protection of minorities. Kosovo must not only reach a modus vivendi with its majorities, but continue to try to achieve a truly open society in which all minorities are fully accepted. Only in that way can people of all backgrounds and cultures, with their own heritage and qualities, participate in the development of a state of Kosovo, in which they also feel that they are citizens. The fact that Marti Ahtisaari recently received the Nobel Peace Prize should encourage Kosovar society as they make the transition to a state fully ruled by law."
 
Herman Van Rompuy also spoke about needs of Kosovo to develop a healthy society and market economy sharing the experiences from his country:
 
"We will follow with a great deal of interest the reforms that your country has carried out in recent years and months. We feel that it is very important that reforms creating a state ruled by law and reforms to move towards a social market economy, where free enterprise and a high level of social protection complement each other, are successfully implemented.

Experience in my own country prompts me to emphasise the importance of a properly functioning, efficient legal system, in order to encourage free enterprise and attract foreign investors. For Belgian and Kosovar businesses, it is of crucial importance to be able to rely on a legal system that protects them and prevents arbitrary decisions, and provides them with the necessary legal certainty within which the social market system can develop.

In the introduction of a social market economy, the position of the weakest people in society must not be forgotten. Belgium has always endeavored to combine the market economy with a high level of social protection. Consideration of the more vulnerable members of society and redistribution of wealth has ensured long periods of social stability in my country, enabling steady economic growth and long-term prosperity. Without investment in education and health care, growth and development of the economy are inhibited and sustainable development is impossible. "