Nissinen: Kosovo is on the right path towards European and Euro-Atlantic organizations

With the completion of his three-year diplomatic mandate in Kosovo, the Ambassador of Finland, Matti Nissinen, has shared with The Geopost his reflections on his personal and professional experience in the country. During this period, he has been engaged in strengthening bilateral relations between Kosovo and Finland, through numerous projects in the fields of education, civil society, European integration and the fight against disinformation.

In the interview for The Geopost, Nissinen speaks about the most significant moments of his diplomatic mission, about the close cooperation with the institutions and citizens of Kosovo, as well as about his hopes for the future of the country. While he expresses his conviction that Kosovo is on the right path towards European and Euro-Atlantic organizations.

He gives clear messages about the necessity of investing in people, education and broad social cooperation as a path towards a more secure and European future for Kosovo.

Full interview:

The Geopost: Ambassador, thank you very much for this interview with The Geopost. As you are now concluding your mandate in Kosovo, would you say your work here has been more of a privilege, or have you faced greater challenges during your mission?

Nissinen:  I would say my mandate here in Kosovo was, a very, very special one, highly enjoyable and rewarding, both professionally and personally. I truly enjoyed my three-year mandate in Kosovo. I made a lot of friends, in all parts of the country, and this is something that I will definitely remember after my departure. Also, outside of Pristina, I remember my several visits to different regions and municipalities and the meetings and friendships that I made there, they are truly enjoyable. So, I really enjoyed my mandate.

The Geopost: During your mandate, we have seen many activities that brought the two nations and peoples closer together. Which of those stands out as the most special for you this year?

Nissinen: Well, it’s difficult to choose just one project or topic because there were so many projects that we did with the embassy. But I would say that on the political front and our bilateral cooperation, one of the most memorable ones is President Osmani’s visit to Finland just recently. I think that underlined the close, very friendly bilateral relationship that our two nations have. And I think it was a very good opportunity to further deepen those areas of cooperation. Another thing that comes to my mind is the intensive work that we did together with civil society organizations, youth, and also business community. One example being, lecture series on European Union affairs that I organized with local university. And that was truly fascinating to have debates and discussions with young people on European Union affairs, which is, another way for us to underline our work, how we want to support the EU integration process of Kosovo. And those discussions that I had with the university students, they were really enjoyable and, and inspiring ones.

The Geopost: You have also been very engaged in efforts to combat disinformation, not only in Kosovo but across the Balkans. What has Finland done to support this process here in Kosovo?

Nissinen: I think disinformation is a global phenomenon, and no one is immune to that. We have done quite a lot in collaboration with Kosovo. We have a long experience in that sector in Finland, and we wanted to share our experiences and best practices in that regard. So, we have been collaborating together with government officials, news agencies, civil society organizations. And we have also brought some Finnish experts to Kosovo to first of all, tell about our experience, but also maybe to find out any possible gaps or needs of improvement here in Kosovo. I think that work has been very, very valuable, and, and I think it’s a good thing for also to be continued in the future. I’m always emphasizing in this regard how important the education sector is. We really have to focus on media literacy and critical thinking of all people, but especially young people. And I’m very happy that we have managed to secure a two-year project on media literacy, also tackling disinformation. The implementation will be left to my successor, of course, but I’m very happy to see that the work has already been planned and I’m really looking forward to seeing some good results from that project.

The Geopost: In your view, is Kosovo on the right path when it comes to addressing this issue?

Nissinen: Of course, there are many things to be done. I think Kosovo has done many, many things already. What I always want to emphasize in this regard is the close cooperation and coordination within the society. So, this is not something that is being done only through government agencies, for example. It’s a sector that includes government officials, but also business community, civil society, media, and all parts of the society to be resilient and also having the, everyone’s expertise in this work. So, I would hope to see some close coordination mechanisms within Kosovo to be further developed in the future.

The Geopost: What message would you like to share with the people of Kosovo as you conclude your mandate here?

Nissinen: My message is a very positive one. I’m really inspired of all those meetings and encounters that I have had during my mandate. I believe that Kosovo is on the right path towards European, Euro-Atlantic organizations. And my message is just to continue on this right path, focus on societal reforms, and rather sooner than later, I’m happy to see Kosovo as a member in different international organizations. And for the government, my message is always very simple. It’s, invest in people, invest in education, healthcare, creating jobs, et cetera. This model has worked in Finland, and I have no reason to doubt that it would not work in Kosovo as well.

/The Geopost