In a joint parliamentary session held today at the Kosovo Assembly, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama expressed his strong desire for Kosovo to enjoy the same international standing as Albania. Rama highlighted the unique historical and linguistic bond between the two nations, emphasizing their shared heritage and language, which he described as “as old as the very genesis of the West.”
During his speech, Rama addressed a critical issue: Kosovo’s current position on the European Union’s sanctions list. He called the situation an “absolute absurdity,” stressing the contrast between Albania’s ongoing negotiations for EU membership and Kosovo’s exclusion, despite their shared aspirations and historical ties.
“My heartfelt wish, which I cannot fully express in words, is that we should not be sitting at the EU negotiating table as one, while the other is on the EU sanctions list. This is an absolute absurdity,” Rama stated.
He continued by sharing that, together with Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, they had forcefully urged the European Union to remove these sanctions during a recent summit. “Together with President Osmani, at the recent EU summit, we firmly insisted that these measures be lifted, and we ensured that all EU funds, which were blocked because of these sanctions, will not be wasted,” he added.
Rama’s comments reflect the ongoing frustration in Kosovo and Albania over the EU’s approach to Kosovo’s international standing, particularly in the context of the region’s long-standing aspirations to join the European Union. Despite Kosovo’s significant progress in various areas, the EU’s imposition of sanctions continues to be a point of contention between Kosovo and Brussels.
