Brussels, 10 December 2022
The 3-day visit held in Brussels in order to inform and coordinate with the main institutions of the European Union, ended with the meetings held with the Vice President for Value and Transparency at the European Commission, Vera Jourova, and then with the Managing Director for Europe at the EEAS, Angelina Eichhorst.
After the meetings in the Parliament, Council, Commission and especially with the Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood, Oliver Varhelyi, the first deputy prime minister for European Integration, Development and Dialogue of the Republic of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi, accompanied by his team and the Ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo in Brussels, Agron Bajrami met with officials from the European Commission and the EEAS, where he informed them about Kosovo’s decision to apply for membership in the European Union.
In the meeting with Mrs. Jourova, Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi said that Kosovo has expressed its full commitment to the values of European standards. The 2022 country report reaffirmed Kosovo’s strong progress in the rule of law, democratization, the fight against organized crime and corruption, social policies and economic development among many others.
Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi said that this is a natural step and that we are ready for the application for membership and moving on to the next stages, with full commitment to the long road ahead and to the processes of European integration. He also mentioned his special gratitude to the Czech Presidency for its continuous support to Kosovo.
Ms. Jourova expressed her admiration for the steps and policies in economic development, especially in the fight against corruption. The parties also talked about reforms in the judicial system as well as sustainable results in the rule of law.
The application for membership in the EU is a sign of Kosovo’s maximum commitment to the European Union, combined with the continuous support of the EU institutions towards the journey of the country’s European integration process.
Meanwhile, in the meeting with Mrs. Eichhorst, Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi reiterated that the decision on the application for membership was announced last year and now is the moment to formalize and submit the application. The Country Report, which is the first to fully include reporting on the Kurti Government, showed that Kosovo is already on a new trajectory of development.
Our country has aligned its foreign policy in line with the European Union. After the application for membership in the Council of Europe and the steps forward towards visa liberalization, the main component to round off this successful year is the application for membership in the EU.
The Western Balkans is important for the European Union, therefore the acceleration of the integration of the region must be based on meritocracy. The common denominator that unifies fast track and meritocracy is democracy. An active and vibrant democracy, of Kosovo, represents this variable and values of its orientation and attitude.
Last modified: December 12, 2022