President Vjosa Osmani and Prime Minister Albin Kurti hosted European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Pristina yesterday. Von der Leyen is visiting the Western Balkans to reaffirm the EU’s commitment to enlargement, especially in light of Russian aggression in Ukraine.
Both Osmani and Kurti requested von der Leyen to lift the sanctions against Kosovo. Osmani stated that it is time for the EU to remove these measures and demonstrate the same resolve as it has shown towards Russia and its satellite, Serbia.
Osmani made this request during a joint press conference with von der Leyen, emphasizing that Kosovo is working hard to align its policies with those of the EU.
“I look forward to continuing the cooperation we have built over the years. This visit comes just days after the approval of the reform agenda for Kosovo. This is good news and serves as additional motivation to work harder towards the EU. The agenda focuses on five areas and is expected to bring Kosovo €882 million by the end of 2027, making Kosovo the largest beneficiary of this package per capita,” Osmani stated.
“It is time for the unjust measures against Kosovo to be lifted. Besides being unjust, these measures harm the citizens of Kosovo and hinder the dialogue process. Lifting these measures is a reflection of the needs of the citizens and businesses and a fulfillment of the conditions the EU set for these measures,” Osmani added.
Prime Minister Albin Kurti also commented after his meeting with von der Leyen, thanking her for her leadership in advancing the EU Growth Plan. He stated his commitment to implementing these reforms through a merit-based process.
Kurti highlighted the importance of submitting the membership questionnaire and immediately lifting the EU’s sanctions.
“I reiterated the importance of submitting the membership questionnaire and called for the complete and immediate removal of the unjust EU measures. At a time when autocracies challenge universal freedoms, Kosovo stands as a beacon of the core values of the EU in the Western Balkans,” Kurti wrote.
However, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen did not guarantee this request from Kosovo’s leaders, indicating that more work is needed to remove the EU sanctions against Kosovo.
According to her, the EU is committed to finding the right steps to lift the sanctions and to convincing member states.
“It is very important to work together, and we have welcomed the opening of borders and progress in CEFTA. Following this, we need to work towards further steps to reach a point where the sanctions can be lifted, which will help convince member states—since, as you know, all member states must agree on lifting these measures. Both of us (Von der Leyen & Osmani) are committed to finding the necessary steps to achieve these goals. It is important to see Kosovo as our partner and to enable Kosovo’s path towards the EU,” she stated.
Von der Leyen made this statement during a joint conference with President Osmani, emphasizing that Kosovo has worked hard to strengthen democracy and the rule of law.
She also regarded the lifting of visa requirements for Kosovo as a significant achievement, highlighting “how much we can accomplish when we work together.”
Von der Leyen has been in the Western Balkans since October 23. She first visited Albania, where she met with Prime Minister Edi Rama and delivered a speech at the inauguration of the College of Europe campus in Tirana.
On October 24, she met with President Bajram Begaj, then traveled to North Macedonia to meet with Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova.
On October 25, she was in Serbia, where she was scheduled to meet with President Aleksandar Vučić, but not with Serbian Prime Minister Miloš Vučević, as the latter was meeting with the Russian Minister for Economic Development, Maxim Reshetnikov.
On the same day, after Kosovo, von der Leyen visited Montenegro, where she was received by Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović and Prime Minister Milojko Spajić.
