EU Kosovo: Forget IPA funds without fighting corruption

Kosovo will no longer be able to benefit funds from the IPA III, without the fulfillment of reforms required by the European Union for fighting corruption and building capacity of institutions.

This is because the EU has changed policies for adopting these funds compared to IPA I and IPA II.

So said today at the table for IPA III organised by the Institute EPIK, where European Integration Minister Blerim Reka said EU integration is the strategic priority of the Government of Kosovo, where, according to him, the IPA III planning is in line with the Government programme.

Minister Reka stressed government will and willingness to continue with preparations for The IPA III, which added that they would continue as governments to support the stabilisation-association process.

 The European Integration Ministry will take concrete measures to establish this institutional capacity, not only for drafting IPA projects, but for their implementation as well. This is because IPA III funds will be distributed on the principle of competition. Kosovo will no longer enjoy guaranteed funds, but Kosovo projects will be in competition with projects from other Western Balkan countries, in other words we are entering a financial race or regional IPA race if I can call”, Reka said.

While Luigi Brusa, from the EU Office in Pristina, said that legislation and the filling of gaps in Kosovo has been going too fast, especially the biggest reforms were in public administration.

But, according to him, what has not gone well and gone wrong is that corruption, as it is still present and these reforms are challenges.

He said that to benefit funds from the IPA III, corruption, organised crime should be fought, as well as the law on confiscation of illegal property.

 Because of some disappointing aspects of IPA I and IPA II and their implementation, IPA III rules have been changed. The arrangements are now no longer provided as air to each state separately, but each state will have its support on the basis of performance and on the basis of the results it will achieve. This is the main message of the IPA III. With IPA II, we cancelled two-three projects when the projects were re-regarded. Why? Because he had no responsibility from the government”, Brucia said.

From the Institute EPIK, Demush Shasha, said it is EU funds, referring to new criteria for the IPA III, said there are no more free gifts for IPA III funds, as, according to him, more and more are being sought by the EU and more, reforms in the process of EU integration.

 We are seeing the European Union more each day from each Western Balkan country is demanding more and more. More tangible reform, irreversible reforms on their path to the EU... The IPA III will, in other words, decide on the principles of the Balkan countries' success in the reform company. Now this has two messages, it can be positive, because we are doing the reforms, we are able to get more tools, more projects. If we don't, it's the opposite”, Shasha stressed.

Also, at this table it was said that while EU institutions are moving at full speed forward in preparing their own assets for the 2021-2027 financial framework, Kosovo must do the same.

By contrast, Kosovo from IPA II had benefited 602m euros for the past seven years, while the IPA III envisions support for the period 2021-2027. /