On behalf of the government and people of the United States, I congratulate Kosovo as you celebrate your independence day.

For more than a decade, our two countries have enjoyed a strong partnership based on shared values. Kosovo’s sovereignty and independence remain critical to the security and stability of the Western Balkans. The United States supports Kosovo on your journey toward integration into Transatlantic institutions and will continue to work to bolster the rule of law, stamp out corruption, and foster economic prosperity for all of Kosovo’s citizens.

Following recent elections and government formation, Kosovo has a renewed opportunity to realize your full potential, both for your citizens and relationships with neighboring countries. We are encouraged by recent events that signal a move toward facilitating investment, tourism, and commercial and people-to-people ties with Serbia, which lay the groundwork for further progress on the comprehensive normalization of relations in the near future.

We extend our best wishes to the people of Kosovo and look forward to building upon the energy of the moment in the weeks and months ahead.