European Commission expected to publish find over demarcation ratification

The European Commission releases the findings, known as the Progress Report, once a year for the Western Balkan countries, whereby it measures the progress of these countries towards European integrations and determines obligations to meet the criteria.

This report is expected to be published in the first months of 2018.

Parliamentary Commission for European Integration Chairman Blerta Deliu-Codra, deputy of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, tells Radio Free Europe that the new European Commission Progress Report will address the failure of ratification of Demarketing with Montenegro.

At each meeting we have had, whether in Kosovo or in the European Parliament delegations, the argument is cited that we should ratify the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro. In the European Commission Progress Report, I believe it will again be a requirement that will be presented to the institutions of the country. It will be one of the challenges we've had this year, and that I believe will be repeated in the next year, since the Parliament has failed to ratify”, Deliu-Codra says.

She says Kosovo needs an internal political consensus about ratification of this agreement.

The Kosovo government has already prosecuted it for the Kosovo Assembly, the Law for ratification of border demarcation with Montenegro, along with the findings of the new State Commission for Border Marking.

Ratification of the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro is believed to be holding the visa liberalisation process for Kosovo citizens hostage, because the European Commission has set it as a condition that Kosovo must meet for abolishing visas.

MP from the ranks of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Armend Zemaj, told Radio Free Europe that there is a deadlock in determining the obligations the European Commission has imposed on Kosovo.

“I am skeptical of a positive report, given the impasses that are, whether by drafting legislation, in particular in the latter part of 2017, that have been the application in the Progress Report and other topics associated with Kosovo walking as criteria, whether for visa liberalisation or full integration, such as the issue of demarcation and fighting crime and corruption in the country”, Zemaj said.

Kosovo, Zemaj adds, has failed to make progress and that the current governance has stabilised in assuming responsibilities for Kosovo to be part of the European family.

This will reflect on domestic policy, on awareness of the additional responsibility of individuals and structures that want to advance these processes. Otherwise, we will scan and take regracious steps and have the negative impact on Kosovo's development and on the overall policies”, Zemaj says.

In an interview for Radio Free Europe, Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has called on MPs to urgently ratify the border demarcation with Montenegro and avoid further isolation of Kosovo.

The latest progress report has raised many remarks on the work of institutions. Concerns were raised about continuing clashes in Kosovo between the ruling political parties and the opposition.

One of the steps Kosovo has taken towards integration into the European Union is stressed as signing a Stabilisation and Association Agreement.