European Commissioner: Kosovo needs a stable government

Asked whether he thinks that new elections should be held or if there is something that would break the blockade in Pristina, he has said he hopes that all the political parties, along with the president, will find a sustainable solution”.

It's not for me to offer opportunities. I think they're fully engaged now. They have also sought the opinion of the Constitutional Court. Therefore, I am sure that the political leadership in Kosovo will be ready to find tangible solutions”.

However, he has said that the missing “ko is very valuable”.

“If we really want to fight the crisis, if we really want to put Kosovo on the European road, we have to do everything to find quick solutions for a stable government.

On 1 May, the Constitutional Court in Kosovo has ruled in favour of the Vetevendosje Movement's request to suspend the implementation of President Thaci's decree until May 29th, until it examines the subject sent by this party, regarding the constitutionality of the president's decision.

On 30 April, President Thaci has decreed Democratic League of Kosovo candidate Avdullah Hoti for the position of the next prime minister of Kosovo.

The same day, the Vetevendosje Movement has been addressed to the Constitutional Court, claiming the president has made a constitutional decision.

Procedures for forming the new government follow initiating the LDK's no-confidence motion against the government currently in office led by Albin Kurti.

Among the reasons for the motion being filed have been cited for relations Kosovo recently has with the United States and Agim Veliu's dismissal from the post of interior minister.

Was the pandemic crisis misused for political gain?

Asked whether any of the Western Balkan countries have misused the situation created after the Corleone pandemic for political benefit, Varhely has said:

This is something I heard about. I've heard it in other news. We have been following closely what's going on, but we are seeing that all the principles we're here to protect are being applied.

Among other things, he said he is not particularly concerned about any state of this region.

I realized a day earlier that Serbia has decided to end its state of emergency and emergency measures are removed from today. I think we're getting out of crisis”, he said adding, among other things.

Discussing why the Zagreb Summit declaration, between Western Balkan countries and the European Union, has not had a clear message for the integration of the Balkan region into the European bloc, the Commissioner for Enlargement has said among other things that “enlargement policy is more powerful than ever before”.

Freedom House's report on the level of democracy in developing countries has shown that Serbia and Montenegro are no longer classified as democratic states.

Serbia and Montenegro have emerged this year for the first time since 2003 from the category of democracies.

“The capture of the state, abuse of power and tactics of the powerful -- practiced by Aleksandar Vuciq in Serbia and Milo Djukanovic in Montenegro -- have caused these countries to cross borders. They are no longer classified as democracy”, said in the report.

“Since taking power in 2012, the Serbian Progressive Party has consistently limited the opposition's role in governance”, the report stressed.

But the European commissionary has said that this assessment of the EU constitutes only “significant contribution”, since the European Commission is responsible for the enlargement process.

You know, the Commission has its assessments when it comes to rule of law, democracy for the states of the Western Balkans, including those with which negotiations are under way. We will see this situation when we bring forward the report for Serbia and Montenegro.

In the case of northern Macedonia, Varhely has said with conviction that by June he will present the framework of membership negotiations.

We're working on this. We're working over and over again during the crisis and we're going out in June with proposals, under the annual enlargement package”.

While speaking of opening chapters, Varhely has said that reconciliation must first be formed for the framework of negotiations.

When this is done, then we can hold the first intergovernmental conference and we can first start opening chapters”, he stated.

Northern Macedonia has been awaiting the start of negotiations with the EU since 2009, while Albania has been in 2018.

In October of last year, France has blocked the positive decision for these two countries, demanding further reforms from them, but also reforming the EU's own enlargement process.

The European Commission has given positive assessments of the progress Skopje has made in meeting reforms by repeating the recommendation for opening membership negotiations.