Today marks 10 years since the ratification of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) between Kosovo and the European Union, a milestone that formally launched Kosovo’s contractual relationship with the EU.
On November 2, 2015, Kosovo’s Assembly ratified the SAA with 86 votes in favor, enabling the implementation of the agreement that serves as a key step toward EU integration. The session was held in solemn proceedings, attended by then-President Atifete Jahjaga and a number of foreign ambassadors from industrialized nations.
However, the vote took place without the participation of the main opposition parties — Vetëvendosje, Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), and Nisma. These parties attended only the opening of the session, during which they voiced strong criticism of the government and highlighted what they called the flaws of the SAA, before walking out of the chamber and refusing to vote.
Under the agreement, Kosovo was represented with a footnote, rather than as the “Republic of Kosovo,” a compromise that fueled political controversy at the time. The opposition argued that this approach showed that Kosovo was not being treated as a sovereign state by the European Union.
Despite the disputes, the SAA remains a foundational instrument for Kosovo’s European path, setting the framework for political dialogue, trade relations, and institutional reforms aligned with EU standards.
