Pristina, 8 July 2015
Prime Minister of Republic of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, took part in the fifth plenary meeting of the Dialogue on the Stabilisation and Association Process.
The meeting, attended by the Director for Western Balkans in the European Commission, Jean Eric Paquet, ministers, MPs and other representatives of local and European institutions, Prime Minister Isa Mustafa stressed that the Stabilization and Association Agreement will serve as the foundation of the integration process for Kosovo and opportunities for economic development.
Regarding the visa liberalization process, Prime Minister Mustafa praised the great commitment of all Kosovo institutions to implement the roadmap criteria for visa liberalization and the implementation of the recommendations of the assessment missions of the European Commission, expressing confidence that the latest assessments will be positive and that Kosovo finally receive the recommendation for visa liberalization.
Speech by the Prime Minister Isa Mustafa at the meeting
Dear Director for Western Balkans in the European Commission, Jean Eric Paquet,
Dear representative of the EU, Mr Zbogar,
Dear Members of Parliament,
Ministers,
Dear chief prosecutor, head of the Judicial Council and all of you who are together here with us.
I welcome you to this plenary meeting of the dialogue for Stabilisation and Association Process. This forum has always served as a means of reviewing and evaluating the road within Kosovo’s European agenda, so we expect that at today’s meeting we will be able to jointly assess the progress and achievements in Kosovo during this year.
Kosovo has entered a very important stage of the process of European integration. We have already opened the chapter of official relations between Kosovo and the European Union, through the Stabilisation and Association Agreement.
Approval by the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament, and then the signing and entry into force at the beginning of 2016 will mark the first contractual relationship between the European Union and Kosovo.
Approval of the proposal of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement by the European Commission is a very important achievement for Kosovo, which shows the commitment of the Republic of Kosovo institutions in the implementation of reforms within the European agenda, and shows the European perspective of Kosovo.
On this occasion I wish to thank the European Commission in support of Kosovo’s European agenda and setting the important cornerstone for this process, ensuring that we remain determined to close partnership in this regard.
We will continue the implementation of the European agenda with the major goal, the achievement of European standards in all areas of governance and improving the conditions of life of our citizens, and also to strengthen the rule of law, the strengthening of justice, the fight against corruption, organized crime and strengthening of internal democracy.
Today, the work of the Government of Kosovo is based on a Government program that the primary goal is to build effective governance, competent and accountable, which will strengthen the confidence of the citizens of Kosovo and our international partners.
In the process of European integration of Kosovo as well as other Balkan countries is required to address concrete reforms, which are summarized in three pillars: reform of Public Administration, Economic Governance and Competitiveness, and the rule of law and fundamental rights. These pillars are interrelated and are crucial in order to justify our country’s readiness to join the European Union.
The Government of the Republic of Kosovo has established the Public Administration Reform as one of its main priorities. This is reflected in Governance Programme, Economic Reform Program and will be treated with special emphasis on the National Strategy for Economic Development. Therefore, it shows a high commitment to address this area.
We have also adopted most of the Strategic Framework for Public Administration Reform and in the coming months we expect to complete it in order to present our orientation towards improving the administration and services to citizens and businesses. We aim a professional, modern, effective and non-politicized administration.
While the government program is clear as related to economic development priorities and defines multiple actions to be implemented by ministries, we are also engaged in a dialogue on economic governance with the EU. As part of this dialogue, Kosovo has prepared the Program of Economic Reforms (PRE), which sets out measures of planned policies to implement in order to prepare our country to cope with increasing competitive pressures, as well as more wide competition in the international arena.
Our ability to increase exports and improve the trade balance largely depends on the successful implementation of our commitments under the Economic Reform Programme.
This document has already received positive assessments by international institutions as well as from European ones. In May of this year, the European Union has offered Kosovo assessment of economic reform program and has made a number of recommendations that need to be addressed during the updating of the document at the end of 2015.
To achieve the objectives of Economic Governance and Competitiveness and to ensure dialogue with the EU on this, we have achieved a strong national consensus regarding the priorities of our actions, and we have begun the process of preparing National Development Strategy (NSDI). This strategy is not only awaited by our institutions and our Development Partners, but also expected and well received by the business community, potential investors and beyond. With this document we intend to address the main obstacles to economic growth and to select priorities of priorities that have an impact on economic growth, increase competition and the creation of new jobs.
I strongly believe that the Stabilization and Association Agreement will serve as the foundation for Kosovo’s integration process and economic development opportunities. This agreement is important because it contributes to strengthening democracy and the rule of law in Kosovo, strengthening political and economic stability, the development of close political relations between Kosovo and the EU institutions and member states individually, promoting Kosovo’s economic development harmonization with EU legislation and promoting regional cooperation. All these dimensions are essential for the development and progress of the Republic of Kosovo.
Regarding the visa liberalization process we are witnessing a huge commitment of all institutions of the Republic of Kosovo for the implementation of the criteria from the roadmap for visa liberalization and the implementation of the recommendations of the European Commission’s assessment missions.
For this I would like to express gratitude to all Kosovo institutions for the hard work and commitment shown to fulfil the obligations and responsibilities in this process. The progress that we have achieved together in recent years, whether in the consolidation of the legal and strategic framework, then the consolidation of institutional mechanisms and tangible results achieved in all the blocks of the Roadmap, is reflected in recent reports of the European Commission. For this we expect that latest assessments to be positive and Kosovo finally receive recommendation for visa liberalization.
In the end, once again I would like to thank the European Commission and all Member States for their continued support they have provided to Kosovo in the process of integration in general. And also to emphasize that the Government of the Republic of Kosovo remains committed to implement its obligations towards the requirements of the European agenda, so that the citizens of Kosovo enjoy the many values of a united European family, and also to contribute to the enrichment of these values.
Thank you.
