Prishtina — July 27, 2025
Johanness Volkmann, a member of the German Bundestag and grandson of former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, emphasized the importance of political stability in Kosovo as a key condition for European Union membership.
In an exclusive interview with Info Magazine on Klan Kosova, Volkmann highlighted that Kosovo still has important reforms to implement, particularly in the areas of anti-corruption, organized crime, and institutional stability.
“When you look at the European Commission’s report on Kosovo, especially in the fields of anti-corruption, organized crime, and the formation of a stable government, it becomes clear that the country has several obligations to fulfill,” Volkmann said.
Reflecting on the long-standing promise of EU integration for the Western Balkans, he referred to the 2003 Thessaloniki Summit where EU leaders offered a credible European perspective to the region.
“I mentioned in my parliamentary speech the Thessaloniki Summit of 2003, where EU heads of state promised the peoples of the Western Balkans a credible European perspective. At that time, I was still in elementary school. So yes, there’s been a long wait, and there is now an urgent need for a credible path forward,” he said.
Volkmann stressed that the responsibility lies with both sides—European institutions and the Western Balkan countries themselves.
“It’s in the hands of both parties. On the one hand, Europe and Germany must have the courage to accelerate integration. On the other, Western Balkan countries, including Kosovo, must truly implement the necessary reforms in order to join the European Union,” he concluded.
