A group of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) has sent a letter to the President of the European Council, calling on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Commissioner Marta Kos to immediately lift all measures imposed on Kosovo.
The initiative was led by MEP Riho Terras, who announced that he, together with other MEPs, had signed the letter.
“EU punitive measures against Kosovo harm civil society, SMEs, education, and the energy sector not politicians. All measures must be lifted immediately,” Terras wrote on X.
Full text of the letter:
We, the undersigned Members of the European Parliament, call for the immediate removal of the punitive measures imposed on Kosovo in 2023.
The measures developed and imposed by the European Commission against Kosovo have been unjust, disproportionate, and counterproductive from the very beginning. They have served no real purpose since their introduction, and the European Union has achieved nothing through these measures except a decline in public opinion in Kosovo toward the EU.
The negative impact of the European Union’s measures on Kosovo’s society is extremely profound and is felt across many different areas of life. Civil society organizations, the cultural and education sectors, small and medium-sized enterprises, the energy sector, and many others continue to suffer from these unnecessary measures.
All major political parties in Kosovo have also expressed serious concern regarding the measures and have communicated this to the European Commission. Any speculation suggesting that lifting the measures could be seen as a politicized act by the Commission in light of upcoming general elections is unfounded.
The year 2025 has been politically extremely difficult and turbulent for Kosovo. Since the general elections in February, there has been no functioning national assembly or effective government. However, democracy continues to function at the local level—as confirmed by the local elections held in October this year.
The impact of the European Union’s punitive measures is felt primarily in everyday local life, and far less at the government level. Punishing the people of Kosovo through such measures must end with their complete abolition. Lifting only 50% of the measures is not sufficient. Therefore, we call on the European Commission to immediately put an end to all measures. This should be done before the elections for the National Assembly of Kosovo on 28 December 2025.
