The new Kosovar Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, underlined on Thursday 29 April his country’s commitment to the EU during his visit to Brussels, his first visit abroad.
“We are committed to the EU and NATO, there is no alternative for Kosovo”, he promised at a press briefing with High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, adding that his country’s orientation towards the EU and NATO is “profound and substantial”.
The Prime Minister announced that Kosovo wants to align its government’s priorities and programmes with the EU’s vision and hopes for close cooperation with the EU. He added that his government’s priorities are jobs, justice, and managing the Covid-19 pandemic.
On this occasion, and while the country, thanks to the EU solidarity fund, is expected to soon receive 95,000 vaccines in four instalments, including a first delivery of 15,000 vaccines on 5 May, Mr Kurti warned that his country needs more vaccines so that the Kosovar diaspora can return home this summer and help boost the economy. According to him, the diaspora brings 850 million euros per year to the country, not counting what they spend on holidays. The Prime Minister also explained that his country was not thinking of turning to Russia or China for the vaccines, but was looking to the EU.
For his part, the High Representative called on Kosovo to implement important reforms that are “pending for too much time”.
The two men also returned to the dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo, which are expected to hold their next high-level meeting before the end of June, according to Mr Borrell. “It’s not going to be easy, it’s not going to be pleasant”, he warned, but added that it would be good for both Kosovars and Serbs. Prior to a further meeting of the High Level Dialogue, Mr Kurti will return to Brussels in mid-May for a dinner of the leaders of the Western Balkan countries.
Before the members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Kosovar Prime Minister put forward four principles for this dialogue: - accept the reality that “we cannot go back to the pre-independence period” of Kosovo; - Serbia’s recognition of the crimes it committed during the war; - equal representation; - and, finally, putting benefits for citizens at the heart of the discussions.
According to Mr Kurti, the first problem to be solved is that of missing persons. There are reportedly still 1,600 missing in Kosovo. “If we don’t make progress on this issue, it will be difficult to make progress in other areas”, he said.
The Prime Minister also called on the EU Council to grant his country visa liberalisation and to give it a clear path to European integration.
He also called on the EU to put in place a Marshall Plan for the Western Balkans. “It is in the interest of the EU and Europe to find a solution, a mini Marshall Plan that would accelerate reforms and complete the EU accession process. The time has come for Europe to save and rebuild the Western Balkans”, he added. “We are surrounded by EU countries and we should be treated as future members of the EU, not as neighbours”, he said. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)