The European Parliament has called for the immediate removal of sanctions imposed on Kosovo by the European Union, labeling them as unjustified. The Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament approved a draft report today regarding Kosovo’s progress towards EU membership in 2023 and 2024, which includes this demand. The report was passed with 48 votes in favor, 19 against, and six abstentions.
Members of the European Parliament emphasized that the sanctions contradict Kosovo’s commitment to European values and hinder the resumption of trust-based dialogue. The report acknowledges that Kosovo has made significant progress in electoral reforms, economic stability, and the protection of fundamental rights. However, challenges remain in the judiciary reform, media freedom, administrative efficiency, and the digitization of public services.
Regarding the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, the report mentions that it has not yielded results, but supports Kosovo’s application for membership in the Council of Europe, its strategic goal to join NATO’s Partnership for Peace, and its efforts to join international organizations.
The European Parliament calls on both Kosovo and Serbia to implement the Brussels and Ohrid agreements, including the establishment of the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities and the removal of Serbia’s opposition to Kosovo’s membership in regional and international organizations. Both countries are urged to avoid unilateral actions that could damage the dialogue process.
The report also welcomed progress in the prosecution of corruption cases but urged Kosovo to strengthen the capacity of its Special Prosecutor’s Office to investigate and prosecute high-profile organized crime cases.
In a closing statement, the European Parliament’s Rapporteur for Kosovo, Riho Torres, said Kosovo’s future lies within the European family.
“It is clear that Kosovo’s integration process needs a fresh start – we need a new chapter in the talks between Prishtina and Belgrade… Kosovo’s future is in the European family, and we will work together on the reform agenda because any future membership must be merit-based,” Torres said.
