Brussels, 31/05/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 30 May, the European Commission and Kosovo started structured dialogue on the rule of law in order to help Pristina raise the challenges facing it with regard to primacy of law.
With structured dialogue, a high level forum will meet twice a year in order to make a regular assessment of Kosovo's progress in relation to the judiciary, combating organised crime and corruption. According to the Commission, it must allow the country to face every challenge in these fields at an early stage in the enlargement process. “The structured dialogue is not a way around the accession process; it is not a substitute to the European aspirations of Kosovo. It is a way to get Kosovo even closer to the EU”, Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Füle said. Kosovo's Justice Minister Hajredin Kuci placed emphasis on the fact that: “Kosovo will become a very serious and very good partner in European integration. We shall meet our obligations in that process”.
The importance of improving Kosovo's ability to investigate effectively and to take legal action against organised cross-border crime, and especially drug trafficking and people smuggling, was highlighted by the Commission, as was the continuation of legal reform in order to strengthen the independence, impartiality and transparency of the system.
Both sides also underlined the “very clear” link between the EULEX mission (European Union rule of law mission) and structured dialogue.
Breakthrough on visas.
On the sidelines of the dialogue, the EU and Kosovo also discussed the state of progress of the visa roadmap. “Everything is now set up for Cecilia (Malmström) to present the roadmap formally to Kosovo authorities later in June”, Füle said. (CG/transl.jl)