Hoxha says Kosovo expects positive visa recommendation

European Integration Minister Gifted Hoxha has declared that she expects during June, Kosovo will receive positive recommendation from the European Commission on visa liberalisation.

These first comments by the Integrations were made at the table where the European Commission's report for Kosovo has been discussed on “, in which it has suggested that Kosovo institutions are working in all possible directions to advance the European integration process.

As for the European Commission's report on Kosovo, Minister Hoxha said all priorities and shortcomings reflected in the report are being seriously addressed, where he indicated that the Government has prepared the action plan which serves as an internal document for our institutions to complete the recommendations or list of things that must be done for the next report.

In the area of rule of the law, she said they are working on fulfilling the obligations emerging from the Agency for European Reform, the SAA National Implementation Plan and the challenges of the Country Report.

“Focus is first on legislation policy, consolidation of institutional structures and improvement in implementing legislation. Public Administration Reform is being done in full co-ordination with the EU, and today we only launched public consultations on the package of laws reforming public administration, reform that is going on. Strengthening the rule-of-law sector will have a positive impact on completing the visa liberalisation process, creating a more favourable environment for businesses and foreign investments. Kosovo, in terms of the visa liberalisation process, even though this is not a topic today, has had a guide from the 95 criteria we now expect in June recommendation or report from the European Commission, so positive recommendation”, Minister Hoxha stressed.

The first of the Ministry of Integrations said that Kosovo has recently participated in the European Union summit in Sofia as an equal country with all Western Balkan countries, where she said they received positive and hopeful messages for the future of the region towards the European Union.

Meanwhile, he added that the ministry she heads in co-operation with other dictatorships is trying to make the European integration process as comprehensive as possible.

“In the process of European integration, we are working in certain directions and with particular emphasis here mentions rule of law, economic development, meeting European standards in general. As we know the criteria for the European Union membership process are criteria that affect every segment, every area of our society. Therefore, without reforming all these areas, or making a complete transformation, we cannot say that we are close to European integration. Also, some things about what we've done recently, the Kosovo Assembly on May 30th 2018 has approved the revised SAA National Implementation Plan for the period 2018-2022, in fact, still expected approval. For 2017, this plan has been fulfilled to the extent 62 %”, so hard work is still needed to get this percentage to grow, and that is our target”, Minister Hoxha stressed.

On the economic development level, according to the minister, Kosovo has noted progress in improving the climate to do business, investment to improve infrastructure, energy, transport, environment and social issues are being supported by the Government of Kosovo.

She also stressed that even in meeting European standards, the Government of Kosovo is working first on bringing Kosovo legislation together with that of the EU, strengthening institutional structures, which would increase the level of inter-institutional co-operation, and along with that the level of implementation of legislation. While adding that the field of environment remains a challenge.

All in the end, Minister Hoxha said Kosovo is part of many different initiatives, such as the Berlin process, the investment frames of the Western Balkans aimed at developing Kosovo and the region in many ways, and especially in infrastructure projects.