The Kosovo government has expressed disappointment that the European Union did not follow through on its previous signal to lift sanctions after the successful transfer of local power in the northern municipalities. While the EU had indicated readiness to remove the measures, it conditioned this on the formation of a new government following the parliamentary elections on 28 December.
Kosovo officials consider this linkage unreasonable. Klisman Kadiu, media advisor to acting Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi, emphasized that the elections have nothing to do with the EU sanctions process. He noted that Kosovo had already fulfilled the condition set by the EU.
“The European Commission confirmed in the Country Report at the beginning of last month that the sanctions would be lifted after local elections and the successful transfer of power in the four northern municipalities. This has already happened peacefully, legally, and without any incidents. Any further delay only deepens the absurdity of the sanctions and undermines the credibility of the EU,” said Kadiu.
He added that the sanctions were initially imposed unjustly and have long lost their relevance.
According to diplomatic sources, France and Italy, supported by Spain, Hungary, and Slovakia, opposed lifting the sanctions in the latest EU meetings. France expressed doubts about the sincerity of steps taken during the de-escalation in the north in 2025. Italy reportedly insisted that the December elections be completed before considering even a gradual lifting of sanctions.
On the other hand, at least 13 EU member states pushed for the immediate removal of sanctions, calling them absurd and urging that such measures be avoided in the future. These supportive countries include:
- Germany (stressed lifting after local power transfer)
- Slovenia
- Croatia
- Estonia
- Luxembourg
- Belgium
- Netherlands
- Finland
- Malta
- Austria
- Ireland
- Poland
- Sweden
The EU External Action Service (EEAS) also expressed support for lifting sanctions against Kosovo.
