Status: 12/15/2022 5:52 p.m
Kosovo has submitted an application to join the EU. It was a historic day, the citizens had worked hard for it, said Prime Minister Kurti. But the country will probably have to wait.
The Balkan country Kosovo has officially submitted an application to join the European Union. Prime Minister Albin Kurti presented a document to this effect to the Czech Minister for European Affairs, Mikulas Bek, in Prague. “This is a historic day for the people of Kosovo and a great day for democracy in Europe,” Kurti said. The Czech Republic will hold the rotating EU Council Presidency until the end of the year.
However, the accession process for Kosovo is likely to be lengthy and complicated. Like its neighbor Serbia, EU member states Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Romania and Slovakia also refuse to recognize Kosovo’s independence. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008. Formally, the country only has a “perspective of joining the EU”.
Kosovo joins other Western Balkan states
“The letter I carry with me contains the hopes and dreams of our citizens who have worked so hard to reach this day,” Kurti said. He believes that with “our commitment and our good will” we will be able to convince “possible skeptics”. The country wants to join as soon as possible.
The other five Western Balkan states of Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Albania are already candidates for membership. The EU only decided on Bosnia’s application on Monday. Negotiations are already underway with states like Serbia. However, both Serbia and Kosovo will only be allowed to join the EU once they have resolved their bilateral problems.
Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia
The two countries, which fought a bloody war just a few years ago, have been at odds for years despite attempts by the EU to engage in dialogue. At the moment, tensions in northern Kosovo on the border with Serbia have escalated again. Shots fired at police officers at night and an attack on the EU mission EULEX with a stun grenade had raised international concerns. Belgrade is encouraging the Serb minority in northern Kosovo in their attempts to defy Pristina’s authority.
In addition to the other five Balkan states, Turkey, Ukraine and Moldova are also recognized as accession candidates. It may be years, if not decades, before all countries are included.