Dear Chancellor Scholz,
Dear President von der Leyen,
Members of the Berlin Process,
1. The Berlin Process began in August 2014, shortly after EU enlargement paused and Russia annexed Crimea.
2. Ten years later, Europe’s security has not changed for the better, but the response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been different. Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia are EU candidates, Sweden and Finland have joined NATO and the six countries of the Western Balkans are back on the EU agenda.
3. For a decade, the Berlin Process has been playing a role in bringing the countries of our region together and towards the EU. Despite internal and external challenges, the Berlin Process remains a driving force for European integration and the thread that holds the six countries of the Western Balkans together. This is what we know and celebrate here in Berlin.
4. The Common Regional Market (CRM) is one of the greatest achievements of this process. A new momentum has been gained after overcoming the impasse within CEFTA. Now we can progress at a different pace, with equality at the center and citizens as the ultimate beneficiaries.
5. The EU Growth Plan is now an approved Reform Agenda; its implementation should follow the “race to the top” approach.
6. Over a decade, significant progress has been made in the Berlin Process, but more action is needed. A paradox appeared in January of this year, when Kosovo citizens can travel without a visa to the EU, but they still lacked freedom of movement in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
7. While the Republika of Serbia entity refuses to ratify the mobility agreement for free movement with IDs, which my country was the first in the region to ratify in parliament, I have decided to end the wait. Starting from January 1 next year, the Republic of Kosovo will unilaterally allow the free movement of citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina with identity cards.
8. Connectivity is essential to the Berlin Process, but we must guard against foreign influence, especially from China, which has invested deeply in our northern neighbor, signing the Free Trade Agreement and a commitment to a shared future with China.
9. The EU must ensure that EU funds are linked to EU values – it is the Berlin Process that brings our region closer to the EU, not the “Beijing Process” which leads to BRICS.
10. Kosovo has been and will be a reasonable voice and a flag bearer in this Process, but we must not stand alone in pushing forward and protecting the fundamental values of the EU.
Chancellor Scholz,
President von der Leyen,
In two months we will mark two years since Kosovo applied for EU membership. While we declare that enlargement is again on the agenda, the time has come for Kosovo to receive official candidate status. In these last three and a half years, we have recorded extraordinary economic growth, democratic progress and institutional stability, successfully managing several serious security threats. Recognizing Kosovo’s progress and achievements also affirms the EU’s commitment to enlargement and its values.
Thank you.
Last modified: October 14, 2024