PRISTINA, Kosovo

The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) hosted a Ramadan iftar or fast-breaking dinner in Kosovo’s capital Pristina on Thursday.

Officials including Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Yasin Ekrem Serim and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti attended the event at a hotel alongside Turkish Ambassador Sabri Tunc Angili, the commander of NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR), Ozkan Ulutas, and other dignitaries.

Serim began his speech at the event by conveying greetings from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

He emphasized that maintaining peace and stability in the Balkans is among Türkiye's "indispensable foreign policy priorities."

He noted that Türkiye is among the countries fulfilling its responsibilities in this regard.

"Today, more than 800 Turkish Armed Forces members serving in Kosovo are making significant contributions to KFOR's mission of ensuring security in Kosovo," he said.

Highlighting that Türkiye and Kosovo always support each other not only in good times but also in bad times, Serim said: "I want you to know that in Kosovo, we feel not as guests but as at home. The history of our friendship with Kosovo is very long, and I want to emphasize once again the significant place Kosovo holds in our hearts."

Serim noted the rapid development of economic relations between Türkiye and Kosovo as a "significant factor strengthening the ties between the two countries."

Also, Prime Minister Kurti highlighted the assistance provided by TIKA for Kosovo's development.

He expressed gratitude for TIKA's continuous support, "excellent cooperation, and contributions to Kosovo's development."

Ambassador Angili emphasized that the "strong bonds between Kosovo and Türkiye will be even stronger in the future."