Prishtina, 26 January, 2024
The first Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Development and Dialogue of the Republic of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi, reported to the Commission for European Integration, at the invitation of this commission. In his introductory speech, he emphasized the processes undertaken within the framework of European integration and the results achieved. From the entry into force of visa liberalization, to the Growth Plan, where Kosovo benefits about 950 million euros within 4 years, and where on Monday, January 22, we submitted the list of reforms to the EU.
“The Growth Plan is not only an opportunity for reforms and economic growth, but also a chance for closer regional cooperation and integration between the countries of the Western Balkans. In this context, it is very important that the EU withdraws the repressive measures against Kosovo as soon as possible, since Kosovo has fulfilled the basic requirements that came before the imposition of the measures and we have a calm situation and through the removal of the measures then all the focus returns to the advancement of Kosovo’s European integration.” said Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi.
He added that the priority for us is the acceptance of the questionnaire by the European Commission in order to prove that Kosovo deserves the status of a candidate country and to continue taking concrete steps towards membership.
“We believe that there is no technical problem for Kosovo to be addressed with the questionnaire so that the institutional, legal and administrative capacities can be evaluated by the Commission. Our institutions, especially our European Integration coordinating structures, are ready to answer this questionnaire, the results of which we are convinced will bring us the status of a candidate country.” said the deputy prime minister.
He presented the achievements of the implementation of the Action Plan of the Agenda for European Reforms until the end of 2023 as well as the achievements planned in the National Program for European Integration during the past year. According to the findings of the final report, by the end of last year, 71.26% or 243 out of a total of 341 indicators were implemented, while as for the National Program for European Integration, in the last year, 160 out of 242 short-term measures or 66.12% were implemented.
Further, the deputy prime minister answered all the questions of the deputies present at the meeting.
Below, the complete introductory speech of Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi in the report to the Commission for European Integration:
Honorable Chairperson of the Commission for European Integration, Mrs. Krasniqi,
Dear members of the Commission,
Dear attendees,
Many thanks for the opportunity to discuss the developments and progress in our country’s European integration agenda together today.
Before I talk about the progress in the European Reform Agenda, or ERA II, as well as the National Plan for European Integration, allow me to briefly touch on three important developments when it comes to Kosovo’s European integration.
First, visa liberalization has already entered into force since January 1, 2024, and citizens of the Republic of Kosovo are traveling visa-free throughout the Schengen area. Since the beginning of October, an excellent job has been done to inform the citizens through the informative and comprehensive campaign, and we are already seeing the results of this campaign. This month, the first month of visa-free travel, everything is going smoothly as we continue to follow the mobility of citizens as they take advantage of this long-awaited opportunity to visit and explore EU cities. Moreover, in the first week of January we also received the positive news that Spain finally recognized the passport of the Republic of Kosovo.
Second, the enlargement package published in November 2023 brings back hope that EU enlargement is back in the spotlight after a decade of silence and stagnation. We welcome the “Growth Plan” for the Western Balkans, and see it as the right step and in the right direction. The EU needs to be enlarged and it needs to be reformed.
While Russia tends to expand towards the EU through wars, the EU- it must be expanded through dialogue and integration. We fully support the approach that makes EU funds conditional on the acceptance of EU values, since as such it increases the benefits for all citizens of the six Western Balkan countries and in at the same time accelerates full membership in the European Union for those who are truly committed to this journey. This plan will bring the region about 6 billion euros, while Kosovo benefits about 950 million euros within 4 years in grants and loans or loans that are concessional or with favorable conditions. This constitutes the largest amount that Kosovo has ever received and will ever receive from the EU within a relatively short period of time.
Along these lines, on Monday, January 22, we submitted to the EU the list of reforms from the Growth Plan. This comprehensive reform agenda aims at the further advancement of public administration, the advancement of public finance management, and places a special focus on the green agenda and digitalization. In the private sector, the focus is on improving the business environment through access to finance and support for small and medium enterprises. The plan aims to ensure quality education and alignment with the needs of the labor market. Likewise, the reform agenda will further advance the rule of law, the fight against corruption and organized crime, and will strengthen the protection of fundamental rights.
The Growth Plan is not only an opportunity for reforms and economic growth, but also a chance for closer regional cooperation and integration between the countries of the Western Balkans. In this context, it is very important that the EU withdraws the repressive measures against Kosovo as soon as possible, since Kosovo has fulfilled the basic requirements that came out before the imposition of the measures and we have a calm situation and through the removal of the measures then all the focus returns to the advancement of Kosovo’s European integration.
The third thing I want to mention, our goal for this year, priority is the acceptance of the questionnaire by the European Commission in order to prove that Kosovo deserves the status of a candidate country and to continue taking concrete steps towards membership. We believe that there is no technical problem for Kosovo to be addressed with the questionnaire so that the institutional, legal and administrative capacities can be evaluated by the Commission. Our institutions, especially our European Integration coordinating structures, are ready to answer this questionnaire, the results of which we are convinced will bring us the status of a candidate country.
In the following, allow me to present the overall achievements of the implementation of the Action Plan of the Agenda for European Reforms (PV ERA II) until the end of 2023, as well as the achievements planned in the National Program for European Integration (NEP) during the year we left behind.
As you know, PV ERA II contained 15 priorities and 341 concrete reforms, or indicators.
According to the findings of the final report, by the end of last year, 71.26% or 243 of the total 341 indicators were implemented. Among them we also have reforms that are very important.
Until the end of 2023, the Assembly of Kosovo has approved and put into force 22 laws. Some of the most important of which are:
• Law on the financing of political entities;
• The code of the Penal procedure;
• Law on the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption;
• Law on public officials;
• Law on wages in the public sector;
• Law on the first and second wave of rationalization of agencies;
• Law on prevention and protection from domestic and gender-based violence;
• Law on elections;
• Law on general product safety;
• Law on general inspections;
• Law on Commercial Court;
• Law on the protection of air from pollution;
• Waste law;
• Law on protection of competition as well as
• Law on early childhood education;
In the meantime, the Government has forwarded 5 draft laws that are awaiting approval by the Assembly, related to citizenship, to the Independent Media Commission; with renewable energy, higher education, religious freedom and the like.
While at the same time we implemented a number of reforms, I mentioned only three of those that, in my opinion, are priority.
• Strategic Plan for the efficient solution of cases of corruption and organized crime; The new strategy for public administration reform and the action plan as well as the Energy Strategy 2022-2031 as well as the Program;
Together with the European Commission, we have decided that this year we will continue with the implementation of the National Program for European Integration and reforms as part of the EU Growth Plan. We will deal with the reforms from this document that are being implemented through the National Program for European Integration and the joint institutional structures that we have with the EU itself.
As for the National Program for European Integration, in the past year, 160 out of 242 short-term measures or 66.12% have been implemented. Awaiting approval by the Assembly are 8 draft laws from this package, such as:
• PL for the register of beneficial owners;
• PL for renewable energy sources;
• PL for the Independent Media Commission;
• PL for religious freedom;
• PL for the control and supervision of the state border;
• PL for strategic environmental assessment;
• Draft customs and excise code
• PL for supplementing and amending the Law on the Provision for Use and Exchange of
Municipal Real Property;
For your attention, I am listing some of the important measures and documents that have been implemented or approved in this period:
• Digital Agenda for Kosovo 2030;
• Program for agriculture and rural development and National Plan for organic agriculture;
• Strategy for Industrial Development and Business Support 2030 together with the Action Plan.
• National Science Program 2023-2028;
• Employment mediation, through active labor market measures, and that 2,369 job seekers of which 1,503 women and 866 men, in total 18% more than in 2022.
• 28.8% increase in inspections by the Labor Inspectorate, from 6,316 inspections in 2022 to 8,129 in 2023.
• The allocation of scholarships to 467 students from the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities, of which 244 are girls and 223 boys, as well as to 55 university students from the same communities.
Once again, many thanks for the opportunity to discuss together today the progress and implementation of the reform plan towards European integration.
Last modified: January 26, 2024