President Vjosa Osmani has sharply criticized the European Union for what she describes as a persistent failure to acknowledge Kosovo’s progress toward membership, arguing that the country’s EU path remains stalled despite significant reforms and unwavering alignment with EU policies.
In an interview with Politico, Osmani said that although Kosovo remains 100% aligned with EU foreign-policy positions, Brussels has not shown the same commitment in return.
“Kosovo has never looked anywhere else”
Osmani emphasized that EU integration has always been Kosovo’s strategic direction.
“The people of Kosovo have never looked anywhere else. We are oriented solely toward EU integration. We do not flirt with other powers,” she stated.
However, she argued that Kosovo’s loyalty and alignment with the EU have been taken for granted rather than rewarded.
According to Osmani, 97% of Kosovo’s population supports an EU future, and the government has undertaken major reforms in areas such as the economy, rule of law, and the fight against corruption.
A blocked path despite major reforms
Despite these reforms, Osmani said the country remains “blocked on the path to EU integration”, insisting that the EU’s much-promoted merit-based process “still has not materialized.”
“The EU often speaks about a merit-based process, but we still do not see it in practice,” she told Politico.
Osmani expressed hope that Germany would take a more assertive leadership role in ensuring that the EU enlargement process remains based on merit rather than political hesitation.
“We are not asking for charity,” she stressed.
Application for candidate status still untouched
One of Osmani’s strongest criticisms concerned the EU’s failure to process Kosovo’s application for candidate status.
“Our application has not even been reviewed. We applied in December 2022, and now we are nearly in December 2025,” she said.
“It is sitting somewhere in the drawers of the European Union, but it is not moving forward.”
Osmani argued that Kosovo is not asking for shortcuts but for basic recognition of the work it has done.
“We are seeking respect for the reforms we undertake. If merit were the basis, Kosovo would be a leading candidate,” she added.
A growing sense of frustration in Prishtina
Osmani’s comments highlight increasing frustration within Kosovo’s institutions over the EU’s slow pace on enlargement, especially given that Kosovo remains one of the most pro-EU societies in Europe.
Officials in Prishtina warn that continued delays risk undermining public trust in the EU, particularly as other countries in the region — including those with weaker reform records — have advanced more quickly.
