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The measures that the European Union has taken against Kosovo, due to the disregard of the demands for the extension of the situation in the northern part, endanger projects worth millions, according to some, but are not expected to affect the process of European integration.
"The effects of these measures are proportional, as they convey the important message of dissatisfaction on the part of the EU, but they do not cause substantial damage to our European path," Demush Shasha, from the Kosovo Institute for European Policy, told Radio Free Europe. .
EU measures include the suspension of invitations for Kosovo's participation in high-level events, as well as of bilateral visits by the EU and member countries. Financial consequences have also been warned, namely the suspension of financing of some projects proposed by Kosovo within the Western Balkans Investment Framework.
"I hope that these extremely important projects will not be canceled in any way, but their suspension will achieve the necessary effect of agreeing the positions between Kosovo and the EU", says Shasha.
The Western Balkans Investment Framework is a joint initiative of the EU, financial institutions and donors, aimed at the socio-economic development and European perspective of the countries of the Western Balkans. Kosovo has been supported by this mechanism since 2009. In one of its documents, it is stated that 30 projects worth 1.8 billion euros have been supported in Kosovo until September 2021. The projects include road construction, railway rehabilitation, central heating systems and improving the sewage system.
Shasha says that for the years 2023-2030, within the framework of this mechanization, other projects have been planned in Kosovo, such as: the Prishtina-Nish Peace Highway, the Belgrade-Prishtina railway, solar heating for Pristina, the water treatment plant black for Pristina and others. The Government of Kosovo has confirmed in March that Kosovo, last year, benefited from this instrument investment grants for solar energy in the amount of 53 million euros, which are combined with loans from development banks and reach the value of 180 million euros. In February, the Government also informed that it applied for 2 investment grants and 4 technical assistance grants in the Investment Framework, but did not specify more about them.
"We're going backwards"
Kosovo applied in December last year for membership in the European Union. One of the EU's punitive measures includes the cancellation of several meetings between Kosovo and the European bloc, which derive from the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA). This agreement, signed in 2015, is the first step towards EU membership.
The Chairperson of the Commission for European Integration in the Assembly of Kosovo, Rrezarta Krasniqi, tells Radio Europe Free that not holding meetings within the framework of the SAA - the purpose of which is to guide Kosovo's institutions regarding reforms - represents a delay in the integration process of the country.
"It is very disturbing not to hold these meetings. It is also worrying if the decision is taken to cancel the funds. These funds have helped the development of the country over the years and without them there can be no development. We are going backwards, there is no progress - only regression in the integration processes", says Krasniqi.
According to her, the Minister of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade, Rozeta Hajdari, had to participate in one of the meetings already canceled by the EU. The US special envoy to the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, the EU envoy, Miroslav Lajçak, and the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, during the meeting on June 5, 2023. REL contacted officials of this ministry, but they said they don't have information about it. The spokesperson of the Government of Kosovo, Përparim Kryeziu, told REL that there is no official announcement about the measures that the EU has taken against Kosovo.
“Vazhdojmë të besojmë se çfarëdo mase ndaj Kosovës, do të ishte e padrejtë dhe jofer”, tha ai.
Pavarësisht kësaj, zëdhënësi i BE-së, Peter Stano, tha të mërkurën se blloku nuk e përjashton mundësinë që Kosova të përballet edhe me masa të tjera, nëse Qeveria e këtij vendi nuk i përmbush kërkesat ndërkombëtare. Këto kërkesa përfshijnë tërheqjen e policisë speciale nga veriu i Kosovës, i banuar me shumicë serbe, si dhe të kryetarëve shqiptarë të komunave atje. Hyrja e këtyre kryetarëve në objektet komunale në veri, të cilat shfrytëzohen edhe nga autoritetet paralele serbe, i ka rritur tensionet në këtë zonë, të cilat kanë kulmuar në përleshje të dhunshme mes protestuesve serbë dhe ushtarëve të NATO-s.
The international community also asks Kosovo to organize new elections in the north, as well as to return to the dialogue for the normalization of relations with Serbia. The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, insists that he cannot "make compromises with the democratic republic" and that the municipal facilities in the north are the property of the state./REL
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