Kosovo's PM Kurti fails to commit to negotiation date with Serbia

The EU High Representative, Josep Borrell, sent a letter to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, stressing that he was looking forward to hosting him in Brussels for the next high-level meeting of the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue as soon as possible.

According to Gazeta Express, Borrell also said that the European Union had stood firmly by Kosovo and its people in the fightragainst COVID-19 pandemic.

“This fight will remain a major priority for the foreseeable future. We also want to see Kosovo advance on its European path. Determined reform efforts will be needed to strengthen the rule of law in Kosovo and to promote socio-economic development. The European Union stands ready to support you in this regard,” Borrell wrote in a letter published by Kurti’s cabinet.

Borrell said that turning Kosovo’s European perspective into a reality for its citizens also requires a swift continuation of the EU-facilitated Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and the comprehensive normalisation of relations with Serbia.

“I welcome your commitment to constructively engage in the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue without delay. I look forward to hosting you for the next high-level meeting of the Dialogue as soon as possible and remain firmly committed to helping the two sides achieve a comprehensive agreement,” Borrell wrote in his letter.

“I wish you every success in your new role and look forward to meeting you at the earliest opportunity”, he concluded.

Prime Minister, good afternoon, I am very glad to host Prime Minister [of Kosovo, Albin] Kurti today in the premises of the European Union External Action Service. Thank you Prime Minister for choosing Brussels for your first trip abroad as Prime Minister. We see this as a clear signal of Kosovo’s European aspirations.

#eudebates #Brussels #Dialogue #EuropeanUnion #Kosovo #Serbia

And I also hope that this visit can mark the beginning of our intense cooperation to advance the European Union-Kosovo relations.

This is what we have been discussing today: our bilateral relations, the domestic situation in Kosovo, the prospects for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and regional developments. Not only about the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, which is for sure one of the most important items in our agenda, but others like regional developments, bilateral relations and domestic situation in Kosovo.

I praise you for the strong mandate that you received from the people of Kosovo. When a leader receives a strong mandate from their people, it means that they are offering you a clear opportunity to undertake important reforms, pending for too long, reforms that will bring Kosovo closer to the European standards and on the way to the European Union.

We expect you to use these opportunities with determination. Because we also want to see Kosovo advancing on the European path.

Believe me, Kosovo is not alone in this. You can count on [our] continued support for reforms, building on the work already done over the past years, which is important but far from being enough.

We will continue supporting you in the fight against the coronavirus and in the economic recovery to overcome the pandemic together.

And these are not just empty words. We are the largest provider of financial assistance to Kosovo. Sometimes I am hearing voices saying ‘The European Union does not [do] much for Kosovo.’ Well, much is a quantity, you can quantify it. Since 2007, Kosovo has received almost €1.3 billion as pre-accession assistance, which, is if I am able to calculate quickly it is more or less almost €100 million per year. Much or not much, this is the figure, which is quite impressive.

In the context of the coronavirus pandemic we allocated Kosovo another additional €68 million for medical and socio-economic needs and €100 million in macro-financial assistance. Allow me to remind it, to face some criticism that from time to time comes to [our] ears, alleging the lack of interest or the lack of support of the European Union to Kosovo.

In terms of vaccines, 95,000 vaccines are now incoming to Kosovo, funded by the European Union – not from COVAX, from the European Union directly – additionally to the support provided by COVAX, to which as you know we are one of the largest contributors, if not the largest contributor.

To conclude, let me say a few words about the Belgrade – Pristina Dialogue. The European path of Kosovo leads through this Dialogue. There is no other way. There is no alternative to it.

Reaching a comprehensive, legally binding agreement on normalisation of relations with Serbia is essential to move towards the European perspective. Without it, the road will be blocked.

That is why I encouraged Prime Minister Kurti to constructively engage on this. I am sure he understands perfectly.

[josephmartin]

Integration and Assimilation to EU Culture, Society and Rule of Law is key and a must to join the EU. Sadly, some want to join the EU and get EU Taxpayers Aid to build inside the EU the same sharia nightmare run by unelected self-appointed imams that destroy their Countries and force them to ask the EU for help in the first place. This is absurd and selfish.