Kosovo President Visits VOA; Focuses on Terrorism, Political Turmoil

WASHINGTON, D.C.— — 

During her third visit to the Voice of America in Washington as president of the Republic of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga told VOA Albanian that no country is immune from violent extremism and terrorism.

In the wake of the terror attacks in Brussels this week, Jahjaga noted that “Kosovo has been uncompromising in our approach in tackling this phenomenon in three ways — from the side of security, legally and increasing [international] cooperation.” She noted that while last year 13 people from Kosovo were found to have joined ISIS, there have been no new ISIS recruits from Kosovo in 2016.

The wide-ranging March 24 interview also covered political and economic development in Kosovo. Appearing on VOA Albanian’s Ditari television program, Jahjaga noted that “the political class in Kosovo continues to benefit from nepotism and has yet to demonstrate the will to wage war against corruption, which has deterred foreign investment. Nonetheless, we have made progress on these fronts during the past year.”

Jahjaga, whose five-year term as president of Kosovo expires on April 7, is the country’s fourth head of state and the first female president of any Balkan country.

The entire VOA Albanian interview with Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga can be viewed here.

Acting Voice of America Director Kelu Chao welcomed Jahjaga, saying that the Kosovo leader’s several visits to VOA “illustrate the reach and effectiveness that VOA Albanian has in the region.” VOA Albanian has been a major source of news and information for more than 70 years, and commands a 61 percent audience share in Kosovo and 59 percent in Albania.

VOA reaches a global weekly audience of more than 187 million people in over 40 languages. VOA programs are delivered on satellite, cable, shortwave, FM, medium wave, streaming audio and video and more than 2,350 media outlets worldwide. It is funded by the U.S. Congress through the Broadcasting Board of Governors.