Opposition criticises Government for irritating reports with European Union

Kosovo is failing to approach it with the European Union and is undermining reports with EU institutions, opposition political parties' deputies say.

At the fourth joint meeting of the Parliamentary Commission for Foreign Affairs with MEPs, held in Strasbourg, it has become known that the adoption of joint conflicts between the European Parliament and the Kosovo Assembly has not been achieved.

The rejection of the consensus, according to the opposition, has resulted in the actions of the ruling coalition deputies in Kosovo who rejected a paragraph proposed by MEPs calling on political leaders in Kosovo to continue supporting the functioning of the Special Court for War Crimes.

Democratic League of Kosovo MP Vjosa Osmani said that from the talks they have held with MEPs, it has been stressed that Kosovo is not respecting the principles of rule of law and international obligations.

“has been the joint request of the European Parliament deputies and their unanimous request that the joint declaration contain a paragraph concerning the issue (special court) that would ensure that Kosovo stands close to the international commitment it has received”.

“Unfortunately due to the completely irresponsible approach of the ruling coalition, because it failed to adopt that paragraph, the MEPs were unwilling to adopt the declaration as a whole”, Osmani said.

Meanwhile, ruling coalition deputies say Kosovo is moving at a fast pace on the European agenda and that there is no damage to reports with the European Parliament.

Deputy Chairman of the Kosovo Commission for Foreign Affairs Time Kadrijaj from the ranks of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo told Radio Free Europe that failure to approve a joint conclusion would not harm Kosovo's reports with the European Parliament.

Kosovo has always adopted a statement because it has approached attitudes. If countries like Serbia or Montenegro have never managed to harmonise a joint declaration, for Kosovo this is the first time that has happened and does not mean that this has affected Kosovo's departure with the EU”, she says.

The Kosovo government, Kadrijaj adds, is committed to the agenda of international reforms and has a working pace in fulfilling all obligations stemming from the European Stabilisation and Accession Agreement.

On the other hand, for LDK deputy Vjosa Osmani, the act of MPs to the ruling coalition is harmful and unacceptable.

According to her, it results in damage to reports between the Kosovo Assembly and the European Parliament and presents Kosovo as a country that opposes the principles of rule of law.

“We, like LDK, will continue to by any means oppose such actions aimed at damaging reports with the EU and separate institutions within the EU. Likewise, we have made a request for parliamentary debate over this issue, as it is of interest not only to MPs, but also to citizens for the steps the ruling coalition deputies are taking to undermine reports with the European Parliament”, Osmani says.

In contrast, European affairs' connoisseurs have repeatedly stressed that Kosovo is far from meeting the criteria that relate to integration into the European Union.

The challenge before the state of Kosovo, according to them, remains rule of rule and law, internal reforms, radical transformation of policymaking, as well as development and functioning of institutions.

Meanwhile, European Union representatives have already declared “The EU is increasingly willing to consider the membership of Western Balkan states in the bloc”.

According to them, membership of these states in the EU would ensure peace in the region, while enriching the EU itself.