Thursday

28th Mar 2024

Kosovo eyes EU membership in 2015

  • Pristina wants to become an EU member in 2015 (Photo: UNMIK)

Two months after unilaterally seceding from Serbia, Kosovo has made it clear it wants to join the EU, setting 2015 as its accession goal.

"After independence, our national aspiration is to join the EU," Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuci told the Reuters news agency on Wednesday (23 April).

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Get the EU news that really matters

Instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

"This is our goal, our forecast and our commitment," Mr Kuci added, while describing EU membership as Pristina's "top priority" and a "way to prosperity, democratisation, and more security."

Kosovo is set to seek "clear signals" on its eventual membership prospects as early as next week's meeting EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg (28-29 April) - something that could cause a political headache, given that a number of EU member states refuse to recognise the infant country.

Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Spain and Slovakia are seen as most reluctant to approve Kosovo's unilateral move towards independence.

Mr Kuci said his country would seek recognition by all EU capitals in order not to be blocked later in the "long and toilsome" accession process.

"We need to deal more with political activities - especially with integration of minorities - and stability of the institutions and parliamentary governance, to fulfil Kosovo's commitments towards the international community," Mr Kuci said.

He cited the economy as the biggest challenge, saying Pristina needs to turn from a survival economy to a competitive one.

Serbia's EU perspective still frozen

In a separate interview with AP news agency, Ramush Haradinaj - former prime minister and ex-commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army in the late 1990s - suggested that Pristina should reach out to the Serbian minority to win its support for Kosovo's independence.

"At this stage, we should present a proper offer as well as interpret that offer in a good way toward the Serbs in the north with the benefits that will come if they join and accept that offer," Mr Haradinaj said.

EU foreign ministers are next week also due to discuss Serbia's EU bid, currently hanging by a thread.

Belgrade was in February offered an interim political agreement on closer trade relations, relaxed visa requirements and educational cooperation, but the offer was turned down by Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica.

Referring to the deadlock, Slovenian President Danilo Turk said on Wednesday (23 April) that the bloc was likely to wait until after the country's elections on 11 May, the outcome of which is seen as crucial for Serbia's further EU integration.

"Whatever happens has to be based on respect of the Serbian readiness to deal with this issue. We have to take their elections seriously and we should not see the European element as decisive," he was cited as saying by Reuters.

Many member states have been pushing to sign a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with Belgrade - the first step towards EU membership - but the Netherlands and Belgium firmly oppose such a move.

The two countries say that Serbia must first fully cooperate with the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague, meaning arresting and handing over war crimes indictee Ratko Mladic.

Ukraine slams grain trade restrictions at EU summit

Restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural exports to the EU could translate into military losses in their bid to stop Russia's war, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky warned EU leaders during their summit in Brussels on Thursday.

Difficult talks ahead on financing new EU defence spending

With the war in Ukraine showing no signs of ending any time soon, EU leaders will meet in Brussels on Thursday and Friday (21 and 22 March) to discuss how to boost the defence capabilities of Ukraine and of the bloc itself.

Opinion

Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Rather than assuming a pro-European Labour government in London will automatically open doors in Brussels, the Labour party needs to consider what it may be able to offer to incentivise EU leaders to factor the UK into their defence thinking.

Latest News

  1. "Swiftly dial back" interest rates, ECB told
  2. Moscow's terror attack, security and Gaza
  3. Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult
  4. EU unveils plan to create a European cross-border degree
  5. How migrants risk becoming drug addicts along Balkan route
  6. 2024: A Space Odyssey — why the galaxy needs regulating
  7. Syrian mayor in Germany speaks out against AfD
  8. Asian workers pay price for EU ship recycling

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  2. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries
  3. European Citizen's InitiativeThe European Commission launches the ‘ImagineEU’ competition for secondary school students in the EU.
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  5. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  6. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA

Join EUobserver

EU news that matters

Join us