Prishtina, 29 July 2025
The Acting First Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Development and Dialogue of the Republic of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi, welcomed the Minister for European Affairs and Defence of Ireland, Thomas Byrne. Minister Byrne was accompanied at the meeting by Ireland’s Ambassador to Kosovo, Ragnar Almqvist.
They discussed Kosovo’s path toward European integration, noting that Kosovo applied for EU membership in December 2022, while Ireland is set to hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of next year.
Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi further emphasized the importance of Kosovo’s membership in the Council of Europe, expressing his gratitude to Ireland for its support in this process. In addition to Kosovo’s European path, the two parties also discussed the country’s recent progress and the role of the diaspora, taking into account the Irish model of organizing the diaspora.
Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi also briefed Minister Byrne on the latest developments regarding the dialogue process.
