The sanctioning measures imposed by the European Union continue to be in force, while the Government of Kosovo expressed optimism that the measures will be lifted during the week of this week.
The Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi, stated a few days ago that they have information that Josep Borrell’s report will be positive and the lifting of the measures will be recommended.
“We believe that it will be sent to the Council for approval during the next week. As far as I know, the content of the report is positive and it will be recommended to remove the measures”, said Bislimi.
The political analyst, Dritëro Arifi, also says that the European Union is late in lifting the measures.
For Telegraph, Arifi said that Kosovo has already fulfilled its obligations and the measures should be removed.
“I hope that Mr. Borrell’s report will be positive for the removal of the measures, because Kosovo has actually fulfilled its obligations regarding the reason why they were imposed. So, the measures would have to leave the European Union, because this would increase the credibility of the European Union, for a country that is pragmatic and flexible in relation to the EU and in relation to the agreements to which both are committed the parties to reach the point of removing the measures”, he emphasized.
Further, Arifi said that “it would be extremely serious that the removal of the measures would push Kosovo to move forward with the agreements, because it would understand that it would be rewarded if this happens”. According to him, the EU would convey this message to other countries as well. , adding that “Countries that implement the agreements will be able to move further towards European integration. The EU has been delayed because the measures would have to be removed from the moment it implemented the Bratislava agreement”. However, a few days ago, the spokesperson of the European Union, Peter Stano, in a statement for the Telegraph, said that the report on the fulfillment has not yet been submitted. of EU demands from Kosovo.
As he pointed out, the report is still being finalized and will soon be presented to the Member States in the Council.
“In its conclusions of December 12, 2023, the General Affairs Council recalled that the EU is ready to lift the measures against Kosovo in the event of further progress in meeting the EU’s demands expressed in the statement of June 3, 2023 “The Council invited the High Representative, Josep Borrell, to present a report on Kosovo’s fulfillment of EU requirements,” said Stano.
Otherwise, the decision to take measures was taken on the grounds that Kosovo did not do enough to reduce the tensions in the north of the country, in May and June last year.
