It has been two years since Kosovo applied for European Union (EU) membership. Although the EU accepted Kosovo’s application on December 15, 2022, it has not yet been reviewed. Kosovo’s government is hoping for positive movement towards acquiring candidate status under the new EU leadership and the upcoming Polish presidency of the EU Council, set to take over in January 2025.
However, the French ambassador to Kosovo, Olivier Guerot, states that some EU member states remain unconvinced that now is the right time to give Kosovo the green light. According to him, Kosovo must meet additional political conditions, such as fully implementing agreements made in the ongoing dialogue with Serbia.
Skepticism about Kosovo’s potential to achieve candidate status is also shared by experts in EU integration processes. Klisman Kadiu, advisor to Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi, told KosovaPress that Kosovo deserves candidate status, and this will be proven once the completed questionnaire is accepted by the EU, in accordance with the established criteria and deadlines.
Kadiu mentioned that Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi has already initiated consultations with the Polish Presidency, which will take over the EU Council for the first half of 2025. He emphasized that Kosovo is ready to demonstrate its institutional preparedness whenever the EU is ready to pave the way for its membership.
However, Ambassador Guerot reiterated that Kosovo must engage more deeply in dialogue with Serbia to convince EU members that now is the right time to move forward with Kosovo’s application. One of the key political conditions is Kosovo’s full implementation of the Brussels Agreement and the Ohrid Annex, reached with Serbia in 2023.
Analyst Albinot Maloku argues that the delay in reviewing Kosovo’s application stems from a lack of a clear vision for Kosovo’s European future. He believes that while Kosovo is ready and willing, the EU’s lack of a clear approach to the Western Balkans, including Kosovo, has contributed to the ongoing delays.
Kosovo officially submitted its application for EU candidate status on December 15, 2022, during the Czech Presidency of the EU Council. The EU’s current presidency is held by Hungary, while Poland will take over leadership in January 2025.
