thanks. i'm not putting that on. rob reynolds al jazeera, las vegas. ah, this is al jazeera and these are the top stories. the sour. after nearly 3 years, china has reopened as borders lifting cove at 19 restrictions on old travelers. rail services between hong kong in the mainland to have resumed. the passengers are required to show a negative taste. awesome, or is, are they all get the lum? i'm sorry, happy so excited. i haven't seen my parents for many years, then not in good health. so i'm really happy to go back and see them now. quite on t, sienna, i can't wait to go back to the mill lamp. it's been 3 years. we have no time to delay now that the board is open. katrina, hugh has more from beijing. people here are elated. he's glad. i think you are of the julie to them. this not the real end of the strict 0 private policy that china has been under for almost 3 years. that policy involved lengthy quarantine for those coming from abroad is really just general restrictions on move in for those who didn't even leave the country. now, according to a travel agency, one of the biggest here in china interest in overseas travel has jumped by about 80 percent of people searching various destinations. the top favorite so far is thailand, but also a lot of interest in japan, south korea, the us and australia. iran is facing international condemnation. after hanging, 2 men convicted of killing a member of the paramilitary force during protests against the government in november, amnesty international says the convictions relied on forced confessions. the russian shelling has killed at least one person in easton ukraine as moscow's unilateral cease fire ends. the hockey governor says the victim was a 50 year old man. fighting has been reported in the dumbass region. voting is underway in finance. parliamentary elections and opposition parties are on the ballot for the 1st time since 2015. they were banned from the previous vote and 2019, which led to violent protests against president patrice. tele, 46 soldiers from ivory coast accused by molly. of being mercenaries have returned home the head of marley's military government. pardon? the group on friday? ivory coast has always maintained the soldiers with deployed as part of security for the un peacekeeping mission. in molly, bows out the headlines. the news continues after talked to al jazeera on the counseling costs. we look at what's in store for real estate, just the risk of a global recession increases when millions of homeowners in the years a highly exposed rate rises during any economic downturn. and we ask what you might want to do to protect yourself. counting the cost on al jazeera in i embraced and said that in pristina as to when it, when it was due to a close, the balkans was once again on the edge of ethnic conflict relations between casa when serbia heaviest grades since 2008, one coastal would be player independence, the self declared to public off $1800000.00 is not recognized by serbia. and many ethnic serves in coastal and minority of about 5 percent of the population don't recognize causal was of been dominated, governance potentials built up last july. oper official here to meet causal cod license placement that report or residence ultimately still be an issue. place used by many advocates in crossover. the situation escalated in december of the casa one of towards his arrest of a former serbian police officer, accusing him of taking part in attack again at me called been an officers in response ethics. having protested in northern crossover, blocked roads and cup of water gates with serbia of the reese of congress, that seems to be a south of hope. the battery keys are down and the roadblocks are gone. but how fragile is the situation? and how will also address is deep ethnic divisions. the prime minister, of course, all will all be, could be talked to out as a prime minister of course. so i'll be good. thank you for contact. thank you for having me and the welcome to republic of go saw mister prime minister, the barry keys are now taken down and bought the gates between your country and serbia reopened. is the crisis over or just process. the crisis is not all were because crossover and serbia has abnormal relations. we needs agreement on full normalization of relations with a centerpiece. mutual recognition. crossover does not recognize serbia, serbia doesn't recognize before we need mutual recognition. on the other hand, am, the crisis is not over because the illegal structures of serbia, which are there since 1999 recently have been turned into a criminal gangs which have erected 16 barricades in mid december. however, of their aggressiveness, which has increased is a direct expression or for their panic. or they know that a rule of law in our republic is a stronger than ever. and that's why the out of fear, they have been erecting these barricades and again, out of fear they have been removing them. so what is the actual state of negotiations? a so been president alexander, to which it said that crossover couldn't remove the barricades because if you attempted to do so by force, you will face to be as power. what's your reaction to death and is your government capable of guarantee and safety causal? of course, our government is guaranteeing safety and security in ga, saw a relying on our constitution and rule of law and republican order. we are democratic government crossover has the most pro european, pro american and democratic government in the entire vulcans, and perhaps also be unless on the other hand am our police is willing ready and capable to remove this barricades. however, it was k for a nate to lead military or force which asked from us a bit of time so they could remove them. finally, it is the legal structures themselves. whist uniformed people in masks, and armed as well, who remove these barricades. and then of course, president of serbia had to absolve himself in front of a public in serbia. otherwise, our police wouldn't have waited for near sieve to remove all of these very heavy given and guarantees to bear read, such as not arresting ethnic serbs in the north or are deploying forces to the north. of course, not the only guarantee that i give as a democratic government is equality for all citizens constitutionality in all municipalities of her soul. in all the territory of our republic than non economic growth and social well being, which is not going to exclude anyone. so democratic kind of promises and guarantees, i don't give promises and guarantees to the criminals who have arrest warrants. but at the same time, who have been a black listed by u. s. treasury, and by u. k. foreign secretary alike. so no guarantees at all to be read regarding the recent crisis. of course not, i cannot guarantee anything which is a outside or against law and constitution of the republic of castle. mister prime minister, the association of serb maturity, ma disparities is a result of brussels agreement in 2013. so the deal was negotiated and concluded by the go miss of kazora and serbia. but you reject its implementation, arguing that it is unconstitutional. however, recently do s ambassador to console. ah said that the association of civil spell at ease is not an option, but illegally binding agreement. a during the decayed sir prior to us coming to power. that has been 33 agreements, signed in brussels between castle and serbia. ah, one of these agreements did not pass the test of constitutional court of casala belgrade. insist precisely on this agreement in kosovo. we cannot have a one, ethnically based association or, or whatever our institutional organization according to arti sought is status proposal for kosovo, a 15 years ago. cuz so vamp ah, must have multi ethnic kind of society and institutions. therefore, one ethnic association cannot pass the test. the far constitutional court, 2 thirds of the agreement signed in brussels. it is belgrade who violated and did not implement. but they insist on only this one, just like our police is not after people according to their ethnicity, but according to their actions and behavior, individual or group one against criminals. likewise, our political system, democratic system for republic, cannot be based on associations or institutions which are ethnically based. but what if this is demand of ethnic serbs in casala? no. serv, of crossover ever wrote to me a letter demanding an association based on us necessity. they want jobs, they want justice, but to nerve them once of this association, it is belgrade who insists on it. so however, some serbs that they have met, they've said they are discriminated against and they are denied the rights. in fact, some of them accuse you of not been a flexible politician, that x on the, as the prime minister of ethnic albanians here. so, are you concerned that you may come across a leader that pushes even further, the ethnic divisions of your country? this is not true in cross over night or 2 percent or obedience 92 percent, and we do not have only one minority besides serv, minority, we have bottlenecks turks, osh cali's that all my egyptians and good on. all of them recognize our republic. also vast majority of serves recognize, our republic, serbs, what part of illegal structures of serbia or, or are afraid of those structures. they refuse to recognize our republic. mr. prime minister, you recently said that the russian wagner group is active in the north of the country and that they were involved in setting up barricades. do you have any substantial evidence for that? and can you explain more secured to sector, especially intelligence in crossover? or gave me information of that so many of the people who are in the barricades are seen together with 3rd night wolf's and wagner group mass. and that is um, in serbia and some of them also ingle saw because they have been taking photos of posting them in social media. but at the same time, and you could see coat of arms and distinct mps in their jackets of night holes and a wagner though, the qualities be just a manipulation. of course, not of serbia and russia are in very closer cooperation mold more now after russian invasion in ukraine than ever before. namely, last year they have done the big agreements. a serbia made an agreement with campbell in to get the cheapest gas in europe than also they have made this agreement for, but coordinating with each other a regarding foreign policy, a former foreign minister of serbia, seneca, which and current minute foot minister of foreign affairs of russian federation, lovegrove by the end of september, last year, during go in, got in new york, united nations general assembly meeting at the margins of it publicly. they have signed the agreement to coordinate these 2 countries regarding for invoices to serbia. and russia are totally aligned in full in foreign policy. and recently the most pro russian person in serbia politician. i x under evelyn who went to visit lover of in moscow after russian invasion. he became the head of secret service of serbia. a couple of months ago. so basically, wagner group and nate wolfe's are not something which surprised us any details about the exec presence or forkner group? what they are in serbia. ah, because there is a russian humanitarian synthesis. are they came at the border of cassandra and it is for us, difficult to know where some of the photos have been taken, because they are in the countryside. so it is difficult to know where this coat of arms have been actually filmed. however, many of the people who are in the illegal structures and in the barricades till recently, they have so many joint photos with the night wolf's and a wagner go. members, most prime minister around 600 serv. police officers have resigned after one of the former colleague been and detained. so practically, that means that no ethnic serbs in the police security forces in the north. does it concern you? of course, i don't want to replace, serves who resigned with obedience. that's why we made a public called for application and a i'm are inviting all sorts of crossover, especially those in the north to apply and become a policeman. so in july or you made a causal license plates mandatory for all residents and ok, lou in their license plate issues are by the serbian government, which triggered di did natasha the recent crisis. so why is this so important to you, and are you planning to implement the initiative? or this is a brussels agreement since mid january 2000, 184 years ago, 5 years ago now, sir, yes. and have not issued produced. renewed any more. this kind of car place which are legacy of malicious. so these corp least with denominations of cities of casala or that milosevic has imposed a current serbia continued to issue entering you. so this has been signed in brussels but not implemented by serbia. vast majority of servicing casala, almost 90 percent, they don't have this kind of carpets they have casa worker plates. only a minority within the sort of been minority insists on these copies, but our state cannot be tuned according to extremist, but according to law and the majority, that's why oh, those car plates sir, should be no. not so applied any more. legal silva and in kosovo. both count will you continue implementing the initiative. we have given a bit of time regarding implementation until spring this year. a because we want to give time for a agreement between console and serbia, which is very much needed for normalization of relations under concerned that in spring if you try to implement it is going to spark and other crisis and i'm always concerned that's a job description of a prime minister, but i'm never freight and i will never compromise with the constitution and all of law. therefore, until spring we have given this time. and hopefully we can have an agreement beforehand. i believe it's fully doable. if there is a willingness from belgrade and especially intensified engagement by you and us, you accuse bet, read off, manipulate in ethnic serbs in your country. how are the manipulated according to you, and what is your government? doin', gene food, social and economic conditions here to gain the respect a support from serves to be honest. there is every day less manipulation of serbs and more fear so many policemen is going down. but the fear is going up, because belgrade now does not use many carrots to the serbs, but much more sticks. and that's why we are words we are concerned. what we are doing is we're working together with serbs. for example, i have one minister from the serbian minority, and belgrade was very angry because this serb is not subordinate tall. government of serbia. there is no prime minister of crossover who has been meeting more with sir, non governmental organizations and more with local ordinary serfs than myself. and i continue to do so. this is a social dialogue for a jobs and for justice. but how are they manipulated? well, in the past, it was the media who had great influence on all the serfs painting, go the reality in kosovo as belgrade wanted them to see it. but now media are not that influential. as before. however, these illegal structures turned into criminal gangs. they are threatening to serbs and the this is of the main factor to discipline serbs accordingly to the belgrade serve a vision. and that vision is crossover part of serbia. what they want is the one to invent a time machine. it to go back in previous century. it's not going to happen. so they can full only themselves, no one else. and i think the soaps of casala know this very well. however, they are still afraid, and we have to strengthen them and encourage them to be part of our situations during your election campaign, your premise to build bridges between albanian and the serbian communities in the country. however, recent events show us the opposite of the nearly 2 years as the prime minister, how you feel to fulfill your promises. i believe that equality is the bridge. what brings people together? what enables communication and cooperation is equality? i am prime minister of equality and you know, certain people who have privileges when you remove privileges from them, they feel that certain injustice has been done to them actually, privileges, or injustice. we are removing privileges because we are a government of equality. so you think that serbs in the north will protest in because they are privileged, were taken from them, illegal structures and people who are benefiting from the legal structures or people who are afraid of illegal structures. those were protesting. and those were privileged. there should be no privileges in the republic. we should have equality, freedom well being that we share growth that we contribute and the republic enables us to enjoy civic rights. whereas our existence enables us to enjoy human rice, a d cause also be a land. so up initiative that suggests a territorial exchange between crossover and serbia that will result in fewer serbs in living in kosovo and fewer albanians living in serbia. so your former president hashem touchy and the president of serbia at a standard of which i have announced their willingness to consider these landscape . however you're completely against this idea. why? because some suggest that such a deal will ease the tension, the ethnic tension in your country and also a contribute their normalization of relations with bell gat. hub, i am quite certain that a president of serbia is nostalgic of those times, which means that's project political projects of land swap has failed. but again, the idea did not die out. but nostalgia is nuts of feeling with which we can progress. lance war will not happen. land swap is a formula for war. you can never have a perfect ethnic board or a boundary. always, there will be people who will feel that they are in the wrong side of it. what we need is republics who have normal relations and democracies within democracies do not fight each other. the tension which we have the serbia, is precisely because we are a democratic country in the, our an autocratic but a gym. enclose links with our kremlin, mr. prime minister, after taken down the barricades and the recent crisis, you asked for more nato troops in kosovo. what are you concerned about that you want to add more troops to the already around 4000 that are stationed in your country? oh, i think that we have her strong capabilities in casala to defend and protect ourselves. however, these strong and broad links between serbian russia or something that warriors, that's why we need more native trips. you feel threatened by russia? well, i feel threatened by a sarabia, which is a client regime of russia re asking for meeting for more neat with troops because of the grove incorporation between serbia and russia to be content. of course, i think that sir, that their cooperation has been increasing after the russian invasion in euclid. that's why we need more mater ingersoll. miss a prime minister. recently i visited the middle of it say in the north where ethnic serbs make up the majority. and i was surprised to see how little presence of you is, is there a more serbs and use did their, their serbian issue, it license place rejecting the causal ones. so be flags hanging streets from walls and, and balconies. so is it the lack of authority or on your end? and how will you create a sense of belonging amongst service in core? so i believe that sir. economy, cooperation, employment, fairness of the institutions, democracy, integrate people and we are going to walk harden this. of course, in the northern parts of our country, the rule of law is not in place as it is elsewhere. however, in previous years, prior to 2021, the rule of law almost didn't exist there. so now is much better than in the past, but of course nuts are as good as we want. and as good as we have to achieve during your election a campaign, your keywords were jobs and justice. what have you done to improve the conditions in your country? domestically and internationally? in now 2021. we have introduced the pack for economic recovery, whereas up in 2022 besides this package. besides this plan for economic recovery. a we have are also introduced a package for reducing the impact of inflation or in 2021. it was 4 percent of g. p. a in 2022. it was 5 percent of g d p. this year's budget's off for go. so what is the highest ever since we declared independence and is 17 percent higher than last year? also, we have introduced allowances for children in you mothers of public education is free of charge. also the university level only for ph. d. you have to pay for bachelor master degree, it's free of charge for all the students. we have increased pensions by 11 percent and for disabled people by 33. and we do not differentiate people according to nationality or esna city. and or what is also very important is that, so we have applied for you membership for membership in counseling, europe. and we are preparing to apply for a membership with you tells you that you need to resolve your problems with belle great. or we have signed with e, you agreement for a stabilization association. and this was not a problem. so our path towards e. you cannot be defined by serbia, which is obviously a pro russian country. so what is our liability? and i believe that with time it will wither away and go away altogether. is the fife not recognize us in a you namely spain. slovakia, romania, greece and cyprus. 5 countries out of $27.00. a minority do not recognize cassava and 4 out of 30 in natal. do not have them nice go so. so we're working hard and we're calling on them to recognize our country. because membership and international organizations is not dependent upon serbia is dependent upon these non recognized. finally, mr. prime minister, how will you position your country in the region and beyond? i think her crossover is a double success story. a success story of nato intervention. almost 24 years ago to stop. so again, genocide of the regime of mila service in spring, 1999. and we are also success. story of economy, economic development and democracy quality, democracy, working hand in hand. we are not a big country, but we're a great example of economy and democracy going together. there are some autocratic forces in the world and countries and power from super powers one to show that development doesn't need democracy, but we are showing otherwise and we're very proud of prime minister, of course. so ugly could thank you for talking ah it's one of the biggest bang for african music and creativity. artists from across the continent, gathering senate gov of the 8th edition, the old african music award. join us for coverage and update on how did here with we understand the differences and similarities of cultures across the world center might have when you call home will. but you can use in current affairs that matter to you. i.