BERLIN – July 18, 2025 – Addis Ahmetovic, the foreign policy spokesperson for Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD), has urged his country to significantly increase its support for Kosovo. He emphasized that stability in the Western Balkans hinges on the region’s full integration into Euro-Atlantic structures.
Ahmetovic stated that integrating the six Western Balkan countries into the European Union is the only way to guarantee long-term peace and security in the region.
Prioritizing Kosovo’s Council of Europe Membership
“We must monitor the situation in the Western Balkans daily and on an ongoing basis. Policy for this region should not be limited to economic promotion but must remain an integral part of our foreign policy agenda. I am closely following developments in Albania, Serbia, and Kosovo. We are interested in political stability,” Ahmetovic declared.
He added, “For Kosovo, this specifically means we want this country to become a member of the Council of Europe as soon as possible; from the SPD’s perspective, the sooner the better.”
While he couldn’t provide a concrete date for when Germany would address Kosovo’s Council of Europe membership, Ahmetovic and his colleague Frank Schwabe are committed to ensuring this issue remains a priority for the SPD in the Bundestag. “I regret that this was not achieved in the previous mandate, even though there was a strategic moment that should have been utilized. Perhaps it would have been possible with more political pressure,” he added.
When asked about political responsibility for this failure, Ahmetovic stressed that the German government should have made more efforts to convince the Council of Europe member states, emphasizing that Germany has significant influence and should exercise it confidently.
NATO Membership and Regional Responsibilities
The SPD official added that in addition to EU membership, NATO also remains a priority for Kosovo and other countries in the region.
“NATO membership is at least as important as EU membership. Both the EU and NATO are essential for a life in peace, freedom, and security. I cannot precisely assess when this will happen, but as an SPD MP, I will continue to fight for this issue,” he told DW. He underlined that Kosovo, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, and North Macedonia must fulfill their obligations to advance in this process.
Call for Stable Governance in Kosovo
Ahmetovic also commented on Kosovo’s political situation, where the Assembly has failed to constitute after nearly 50 attempts. He referred to the Vetëvendosje Movement as a sister party to the SPD and stressed the need for a stable government and a functional parliament, without commenting directly on the ongoing blockade.
“I maintain close contact with the government of Kosovo. We want stable government action and a functional parliament. This is essential for all subsequent steps. Only if this continues to succeed will Kosovo be able to advance in the Council of Europe, in the EU membership process, and perhaps soon, also in NATO. These processes are closely interconnected,” he concluded.
