Kosovo’s Chief Negotiator for the European Union, Jeton Zulfaj, has stated that his position is a signal that Kosovo is ready to open accession negotiations with the EU.
Speaking on the “Interaktiv” program on KTV, Zulfaj said that Kosovo is not only ready to obtain candidate status, but also to begin formal negotiations with the European Union.
“I believe this is also a signal that Kosovo is moving forward in the enlargement process. We are ready to open negotiations with the European Union. We are ready not only for candidate status, which should not be far from the decision to open negotiations, because all Western Balkan countries have already advanced in this process and have decisions on opening negotiations. Two of them are further ahead — Albania and Montenegro,” Zulfaj said.
He added that even the European Union itself does not deny that “Kosovo has no outstanding criteria left to meet for candidate status.”
However, during the marking of Europe Day in the first week of May, the Acting Head of the EU Office in Kosovo, Eva Palatova, stated that Kosovo cannot automatically obtain EU candidate status, emphasizing that the country must convince all 27 EU member states.
Palatova stressed that Kosovo must continue demonstrating democratic standards and institutional stability.
