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

With the completion of his three-year diplomatic mandate in Kosovo, Finnish Ambassador Matti Nissinen 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 talks about the most significant moments of his diplomatic mission, the close cooperation with the institutions and citizens of Kosovo, as well as his hopes for the future of the country. While expressing his conviction that Kosovo is on the right path towards European and Euro-Atlantic organizations.

It 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 completing your mandate in Kosovo, would you say that your work here has been more of a privilege, or have you faced greater challenges during your mission?

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

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

Nissinen: Well, it’s hard 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 is the visit of President Osmani to Finland recently. I think that it underlined the close and very friendly bilateral relationship that our two nations have. And I think it was a very good opportunity to further deepen these areas of cooperation. Another thing that comes to mind is the intensive work that we did together with civil society organizations, young people and also the business community. One example is the lecture series on European Union issues that I organized with the local university. And it was really interesting to have debates and discussions with young people on European Union issues, which is another way for us to underline our work, how we want to support the process of Kosovo’s integration into the EU. And those discussions that I had with the university students, were really enjoyable and inspiring.

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

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

The Geopost: In your opinion, is Kosovo on the right track 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 is a sector that includes government officials, but also the business community, civil society, the media and all parts of society to be resilient and also to have the expertise of everyone in this work. So, I hope to see some close coordination mechanisms within Kosovo to be developed further in the future.

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

Nissinen: My message is very positive. I am really inspired by all those meetings and encounters that I have had during my mandate. I believe that Kosovo is on the right path towards European and Euro-Atlantic organizations. And my message is simply to continue on this right path, to focus on social reforms and, as soon as possible, I am happy to see Kosovo as a member of various international organizations. And for the government, my message is always very simple. It is, invest in people, invest in education, healthcare, job creation, etc. This model has worked in Finland, and I have no reason to doubt that it will not work in Kosovo as well.

/The Geopost