How much is the SAA being implemented?

So said today at the closing conference of the twinning project, “Supporting Kosovo Institutions in implementing SAA”, which aims to support the Kosovo administration to effectively manage the SAA process, improving policies in European integration.

European Integration Minister Gifted Hoxha said this project is in full compliance with government projections for reforming public administration.

“Over these two days of assistance has made a valuable contribution to strengthening the capacities of public administration in addressing the requirements stemming from the Stabilisation and Association process for Kosovo. This European Union project you have been invited for today is in full compliance with government projections for reforming public administration, with particular emphasis on establishing institutional capacities with the approach of local legislation. There are a series of EU projects that are contributing in this direction”, she said.

Hoxha said that since the beginning of the project in 2017, the twinning project through expertise from member states such as Germany, Poland and Croatia have supported Kosovo institutions in strengthening capacities in several key areas.

While Luigi Brusa from the EU Office in Kosovo said that Kosovo last year has implemented 68 per cent of the SAA plan.

“There are pledges on both sides of this contract, reforms which must be achieved on the Kosovo side are ambitious, but are attainable. The EU office in Kosovo remains committed to supporting Kosovo concretely in helping implementing the SAA has been a contract of twinning that we are summing up today with all Kosovo partners. When the project started in 2017 it was a year after the signing after the SAA's entry into force. Now we are in the third year of its application. What characterises the SAA agreement is a comprehensive agreement, contains everything from law enforcement, public procurement and trade... It should be noted that the implementation rate for short-term measures, which are relevant to the SAA implementation plan last year, in 2018 was about 68 percent, which is a huge improvement, compared to the past years”, he said.

Brusa, among other things, said Kosovo has made progress even towards EU membership.

“There is a progress or a major progress towards membership and towards integration into the EU system, and in particular in these parts of the AKI community that are improving our lives”, he said.

Germany's Ambassador to Kosovo Christian Heldt said the SAA is Kosovo's journey towards European integration.

“The MSA as underlined is the journey of Kosovo towards European integration, and for that reason we are the EU here today with the structures of Brussels, as well as with member states, I think it is really not only practical but also meaningful co-operation, not only practical that we have had with our Croatian and Polish partners in this project. It wasn't easy to take The MSA at”, he said.

Heldt, among other things, said they want to offer support to the Government of Kosovo, as well as to the people of this country to move forward in this agenda, to join the EU.

Croatia's prime minister's adviser, Dubravka Vlasic-Plese, said Croatia is ready to help Kosovo implement the SAA.

“Croatia supports the integration process and conditions and criteria and all that is based on merit. Croatia vows to help Southeast European countries support by sharing knowledge, through our integrated process, we are determined to promote European values and strengthen good relations with countries in the region. We want to help you implement reforms and the road ahead that you have”, she said.

Finally, memorandum of understanding for co-operation and further strengthening of IKAP training capacities has been signed.

Otherwise, the twinning project has lasted two years and 53 experts from the US were engaged. The project aims to support the Kosovo administration to effectively manage the SAA process, improving policies on European integration.