The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, and the Commissioner for Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, announced, on Monday 15 February, that they were looking forward to the formation of the new Assembly and government as well as the election of a new president in Kosovo, following early parliamentary elections.
The anti-elite opposition party, led by Albin Kurti, is reported to have won the election with 48% of the vote (out of 80% of ballots counted), ahead of the PDK (17%) and the LDK (13%) of outgoing Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti. Turnout was 45.5%.
The High Representative and the Commissioner pledged that the EU would continue to work with the Kosovar authorities to help the country make tangible progress towards Europe. “This will require Kosovo to advance on reforms (...) and regional cooperation”, they warned, adding that Kosovo’s European path also involves the comprehensive normalisation of relations with Serbia.
“The EU expects the new authorities in Pristina to engage constructively with a view to a continuation of the meetings of the EU-facilitated Dialogue and seize the opportunity in front of them to reach a comprehensive agreement”, Mr Borrell and Mr Várhelyi stressed. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)