The Citizens Oversight Congress Alliance and other units held the "2023 Supervision and Open Congress Forum" on the 14th. Legislative President You Xikun (right) attended the opening event and shook hands with former Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti (left) and other international people attending the meeting .

(Photographed by reporter Luo Peide)

[Reporter Su Yongyao/Taipei Report] Legislative President You Xikun met with the "Kosovo-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group" and the visiting delegation of North Macedonian and Romanian cross-party congressmen this afternoon. Similar challenges.

And the people of Kosovo decide for themselves the future of their own country. This is true democracy.

President You first wanted to express his congratulations to Kosovo on the 17th of last month when it celebrated its 15th anniversary as a state.

Back in 2008, when Kosovo declared independence, Taiwan was one of the first countries to recognize it.

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He also counted in detail that in 1990, Kosovo went through a referendum, military operations by hostile neighbors, refugee displacement, United Nations resolution restrictions, and the United Nations trusteeship process, all of which could not stop the Kosovo people’s will to build an independent state. With a new constitution and independent referendum by all citizens, the people of Kosovo can decide the future of their own country by themselves. This is true democratic politics.

What is even more admirable is that You Xikun said that since 1990, the people of Kosovo have struggled resolutely without any recognition by any country or government. Until July 2010, the International Court of Justice held that your country’s unilateral declaration of independence did not violate international law and achieved 113 countries, including Taiwan, have recognized their independent status, and it still highly influences the geopolitical interaction between the European Union, the United States, and the Western Balkan countries. It is really admirable.

You Xikun pointed out that Taiwan loves freedom and democracy as much as Kosovo, and we cherish the fate we met because of democracy.

Taiwan, where the Austronesian people have lived for thousands of years, has been reduced to a colony for hundreds of years since the Age of Discovery. The process was arduous and full of blood and tears. Finally, with the efforts of the whole people, the transition to democracy has been completed in the past 30 years.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Democratic Congress and the 100th anniversary of the first political association in Taiwan's history. We are glad that the achievements of democracy have been recognized internationally.

According to the Democracy Index Report published by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) in the United Kingdom, Taiwan ranked first in Asia for two consecutive years.

According to Freedom House's latest Freedom Report, Taiwan ranks second in Asia and is listed as a free country.

We cherish the achievements of today's democracy very much. This is the way of life we ​​have chosen, so we will defend it with all our strength.

He emphasized that at a time when the territory of international democracy is constantly shrinking, Kosovo is facing a vicious neighbor who looks at it like a tiger, and Taiwan is also facing civil and military threats from authoritarian China. It falsely claims to have Taiwan's sovereignty and is eager to annex Taiwan. a threat to international peace.

We hereby appeal to international democratic and free countries to give more attention and support to Taiwan and Kosovo.

He also thanked the visiting guests from Kosovo for their support to Taiwan. Democracy and freedom are our common language. We are allies of democracy and we must work together to ensure global peace and stability.