As you may know, five out of the twenty seven EU countries have not yet recognized the independence of Kosovo. The reasons are domestic ones, even though Kosovo is a sui generis case. I encourage these countries to follow the example of the majority of EU member countries and adhere to the dedication for a concrete European perspective for the Western Balkans.
Honourable President Barroso,
Honourable journalists,
We had a very good and constructive meeting with the President of the European Commission, Mr. Barroso. We discussed concrete topics and the mutual obligations in the process of the Republic of Kosovo to becoming an EU member state.
As you may know, five out of the twenty seven EU countries have not yet recognized the independence of Kosovo. The reasons are domestic ones, even though Kosovo is a sui generis case. I encourage these countries to follow the example of the majority of EU member countries and adhere to the dedication for a concrete European perspective for the Western Balkans.
Kosovo has made progress in its European Agenda, considering that it is an independent and sovereign country since 2008. We have received the Visa liberalization roadmap and I believe that by next year the citizens of Kosovo will be able to travel visa free to EU countries, as do all the citizens of the region.
We have received the Feasibility Study for the Stabilization-Association Agreement and we strongly believe that our journey towards obtaining the candidate country status will be shorter than that of the other regional countries.
Our dedication to fulfilling all the necessary conditions and the required criteria is plebiscite and on this we have full political and national consensus on our agenda and aims for membership to EU.
To further support the necessary reforms, by the Office of the President, I have established two National Councils, with the approval and support of all relevant factors.
With the purpose of coordinating, harmonizing all the actions and activities of the institutions and the society, the National Council on European Integration and the National Anti-Corruption Council have been established.
Kosovo is a civic and democratic state, where all its citizens, regardless, enjoy equal rights and freedoms. Kosovo is a country where order and rule of law prevails, and we are working hard and undertaking all the activities in fighting corruption and organized crime. Kosovo is not a source country but it is a transit point for these negative phenomenons and to become more successful, Kosovo should be a member of all regional and European security mechanisms.
The Republic of Kosovo follows the policy of good neighborly relations with all the regional countries, including the Republic of Serbia, with which we conducted the process of dialogue in Brussels, and we achieved seven agreements on issues that ease the lives of citizens across both sides of the border and relax the relations in general in the region.
We see this dialogue as the only opportunity to solve all issues and to fully normalize the relationship between the two countries. We would like the European Union as the facilitator to find efficient mechanisms for monitoring and guaranteeing the implementation of these agreements, which would also determine even the need for further continuing the dialogue.
Kosovo is entering a new phase of its development. International Steering Group has assessed that all the conditions to conclude the phase of supervised Independence of Kosovo have been met. This is a joint achievement of the citizens and the institutions of Kosovo and international community. We will remain, even after the end of the phase of supervised independence dedicated to the principles upon which we built the state of Kosovo- democracy, freedom and equality in front of the law of each citizen, regardless.
EU’s Rule of Law mission, EULEX, is doing a good job and it enjoys the trust of Kosovo’s citizens and we are interested for this mandate to be extended even after the conclusion of the phase of supervised independence by respecting the Constitutional and laws of the country and by respecting EU principles on such missions and the request of the institutions of Kosovo on the necessity of such mandates in our country.
We thank President Barroso on his dedication and his personal engagement on Kosovo issue.
President Jahjaga and President Barroso answered the questions presented by the journalists related to the continuation of the dialogue, situation in the three norther municipalites of Kosovo and integration of Serbian community in the institutions of the republic of Kosovo.