On Friday 17 November, Kosovo reiterated its "firm commitment" to make quick progress on key reforms linked to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA).
"Kosovo underlined its firm commitment to deliver swiftly on key SAA reforms, as identified in the European reform agenda, in close coordination with EU institutions, with a view of continued progress on its European path", the Stabilisation and Association Council (SA Council) between the European Union and Kosovo stated in a press release. "The jointly agreed European reform agenda should serve as a guideline for concrete deliverables", the SA Council added. The meeting of the SA Council discussed reform priorities in areas including the rule of law and judicial reforms, respect for fundamental rights, public administration reform, economic development, education and employment.
However, according to a European source, Kosovo's new government needs to commit firmly to the European path. The source stated that 2018 will be a crucial year and that Kosovo must use this, as must the other countries in the Western Balkans region.
High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, European Commissioner for Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn and Kosovo's Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj also discussed "the importance of continuous engagement" in the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade, and "the implementation of all agreements already reached without delay", the statement said.
The statement did not make any reference to visa liberalisation. Kosovo still does not satisfy all the criteria for this, especially as regards a satisfactory outcome in the fight against organised crime and corruption, and the ratification of the agreement on the demarcation of its border with Montenegro. Haradinaj has questioned this agreement and has put together another committee in which most members disagree with the demarcation agreed in 2015 with Podgorica.
For his first visit to Brussels as prime minister, Haradinaj also held bilateral meetings, initially with Mogherini and then with Hahn.
The press conference that was planned at the end of the SA Council was cancelled, officially due to a problem of time-planning. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)