Brussels, 09/12/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 9 December, the European Union welcomed the formation of a new government in Kosovo, after the general elections on 8 June 2014.
“We are looking forward to working with the new government”, said High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn in a joint press release. They believed that the constitutive session of the Assembly on 9 December and the election of the government put an end to “the political deadlock that prevented progress” in Kosovo following the general elections.
Mogherini spoke of the dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo, facilitated by the EU, which she will lead from now onwards. She stated that work must be continued urgently, both on the full implementation of the agreements already concluded and to tackle new issues still to arise. No date for resuming the dialogue has yet been announced after it was broken off due to elections in both countries. Mogherini also underlined that it was “important” that the new government cooperate with the EULEX mission in implementing its revised mandate “including by proceeding with the necessary amendments of the legal framework, which will allow for the setting up of the Specialist Court”. The EULEX mission is due to bring support to the judicial procedures transferred to the specialist court to rule on the allegations in the Council of Europe's Marty report (see EUROPE 11065).
Hahn highlighted the need to resume the European programme of reforms. He said he was looking forward to working with the new government “to encourage and support” Kosovo's efforts on the rule of law, public administration reform and economic governance. He also stated that there was much to do on the preparations for implementing the stabilisation and association agreement initialled on 25 July. (CG)