Acting Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, participated in the regional leaders’ meeting on the EU Growth Plan held in Skopje, North Macedonia, under the theme “Stability, Unity, and the Future,” Rks News reports.
Kurti arrived in Skopje the previous evening, attending the official dinner hosted by North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski. On Tuesday, he took part in the opening panel of discussions among Western Balkan leaders.
During his speech, Kurti praised the EU Growth Plan as a crucial step toward economic progress and regional integration, stressing that EU assistance must be tied closely to reform efforts and democratic values.
“In this context, he called for Kosovo to be guaranteed equal access to the European Union’s programs and instruments,” stated the Office of the Prime Minister.
Kurti reaffirmed Kosovo’s support for initiatives within the Growth Plan, including tourism, consumer protection, and the “Common Market Highway.”
He further proposed expanding regional cooperation into three additional sectors:
- Competitive digital services (such as software development, cybersecurity, and AI),
- Defense sector, and
- Agriculture and food processing.
“He emphasized that nearshoring must be oriented toward trusted partners (friendly shoring), viewing it as a major opportunity not only for the Western Balkans but also for the EU.”
Kurti also referred to progress since the last summit in Kotor, citing Kosovo’s leadership within CEFTA and advancements in various areas. He called for full implementation of agreements reached under the Berlin Process, including:
- Mutual recognition of diplomas, and
- Freedom of movement using ID cards.
He highlighted that following visa liberalization, entries into Kosovo by Bosnian citizens have significantly increased, and called for reciprocal freedom of travel for Kosovar citizens to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“In conclusion, Prime Minister Kurti stressed that security is a prerequisite for development and growth, adding that the Western Balkans cannot be separated from Europe’s broader geopolitical landscape. He welcomed U.S. efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and supported NATO members’ decision at the Hague Summit to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP,” the statement concluded.
