In an interview with an Albanian-language programme of the Voice of America on Sunday, Daci said that Rugova could not be replaced by anyone at the moment.
"We expect a dream which all Albanians have been dreaming for years to come true this year," Daci said, adding that "stalling the settlement of the Kosovo issue could have negative consequences for Kosovo and the region".
Commenting on the option of conditional independence for the UN-administered province, Daci said that independence was non-negotiable and that nobody in Kosovo's negotiating team had the mandate to negotiate about anything less than full independence.
He added that Kosovo leaders would do everything so that international commitments were met.
"One of a society's democratic standards is its treatment of minorities and we are committed to meeting our obligations. The Kosovo Serbs have a history in Kosovo, they have property here, they are always welcome as Kosovo residents, but there will be no cantons or physical connections with anyone outside Kosovo. Serbs and all other minorities in Kosovo will enjoy all the rights they are entitled to," Daci said.