EU ministers responsible for European affairs have confirmed their readiness to continue lifting the remaining measures imposed on Kosovo, following the assessment that the transfer of local governance in the four northern municipalities has proceeded in an orderly manner.
However, there is still no confirmation regarding the timeline for lifting the measures, nor whether the process will be full or gradual. According to unofficial sources, the European Commission is prepared to remove approximately half of the measures, but this is not expected to occur before the December 28 elections, due to a lack of political will among some member states during the electoral campaign period.
In the conclusions of the ministerial meeting, EU member states welcomed the orderly conduct of Kosovo’s general elections in February and the local elections in the autumn, while expressing concern over the prolonged political deadlock. The importance of ensuring that the December elections are well administered and inclusive was emphasized, along with regret over attempts to politicize the work of the Central Election Commission (CEC).
The EU reaffirmed its commitment to the dialogue on the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, calling for restraint from provocative actions and divisive rhetoric. It also confirmed the readiness of the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, to convene a meeting of leaders as soon as the necessary conditions are met.
