The President of the Republic of Kosovo, Mrs. Atifete Jahjaga received today the Minister for European Affairs of Denmark, Mr. Nicolai Wammen.
President Jahjaga stressed that Denmark has played an important role for the Western Balkans region during the EU presidency and found that the whole region has made significant progress on the European path.
She said that the Republic of Kosovo is committed in the process of integration and the Danish support is necessary to keep the European perspective for the country open.
President Jahjaga stressed that the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo are in the process of meeting the standards set forth in the feasibility study for the Stabilization and Association Agreement, which was delivered to Kosovo in March.
She said that to help these efforts and the visa liberalization process the National Council for European Integration has been established by decree of the President, a high comprehensive mechanism in Kosovo. President Jahjaga said that the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo have fulfilled all the criteria defined for receiving the roadmap for visa liberalization and they hope to receive it before the end of the mandate of the Danish EU Presidency, at the end of June.
“It is important for Kosovo that the visa liberalization process starts as soon as possible, because this would convey a good message for the citizens that they too have a clear European perspective as all other citizens of the countries of the region”, said President Jahjaga and noted that the beginning of this process would help the institutions of Kosovo to begin the implementation of the necessary reforms.
President Jahjaga said that the Republic of Kosovo should be treated equally with all other regional countries and that the visa liberalization should be carried out based on the same principles and criteria like in other countries, in accordance with the EU enlargement policy and the European perspective for the Western Balkans.
She required from minister Wammen the support of his country and of the EU for the membership of Kosovo in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
The Minister of European Affairs of Denmark, Mr. Nicolai Wammen, stressed that the entire region, including Kosovo has a European perspective and the EU remains committed for the Western Balkan.
Minister Wammen said that Kosovo is on the right track in the integration processes but stressed that it is necessary to accelerate the process of reforms in particular in the rule of law.
He said that important steps must be taken to fulfill the necessary standards and also praised the constructive approach of Kosovo in the dialogue with Serbia, as an attempt to normalize relations between the two countries.