Progress Report for Kosovo: Little Progress

Two key factors are mentioned in the report, the unstable political situation as a result of the frequent early elections and the Pande-19 pandemic.

The February 2021 parliamentary elections were well managed, transparent and competitive, despite certain shortcomings, but strengthening the legal and institutional framework on the election campaign and funding of political parties remains an area where deep reforms” are said to be carried out in the report.

Kosovo contributes to reaching comprehensive agreement with Serbia

The progress report in the part of Kosovo also speaks of normalising relations with Serbia.

The European Commission calls on Kosovo to engage constructively and make further substantial efforts in implementing all past agreements and contribute to reaching a comprehensive legally binding normalisation agreement with Serbia”. According to the European Commission, such an agreement with Serbia is urgent and decisive so that Kosovo and Serbia can progress on their European journey.

Thomas Szunyog and Albin Kurti

Limited Progress in Fighting Corruption

For the justice system in Kosovo, the report stresses that reform continues to be slow, inefficient and vulnerable to political influence. Kosovo has made limited progress in fighting corruption and organised crime, but efforts for more active investigations should be stepped up, final judicial decisions and final seizure of illegal assets”.

The report clearly notes that “Kosovo has made progress in the fight against terrorism” specifically regarding the rehabilitation and reintegration of family members of terrorist fighters who participated in the Middle East wars”.

As in previous years, since 2018, the European Commission Progress Report mentions that Kosovo has met all the conditions for visa liberalisation, but that is not yet happening. Kosovo is the only country in Europe that has restrictions on freedom of movement in the Schengen area.

Kosovo government response

The Kosovo government, in turn, has not rejected any conclusions of the progress report.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said his government is already making unstoppable efforts to improve the situation in the area of rule of law.

“We have adopted the strategy for rule of the law, draft of the criminal procedure and the law for the Anti-Corruption Agency, as well as finalised the draft document for the development of Vetting and the first draft of the draft draft law on verification and seizure of unjustified property, actions that will strengthen and advance the justice system and the fight against crime and corruption”, Prime Minister Kurti said in the first response after he accepted the progress report from the EU office chief in Kosovo, Tomas Snyog.

Prime Minister Kurti has cited the last two election processes -- that of the general elections in February and local elections in October -- processes that he praised as transparent and democratic.

“In these six months of government, we have institutional stability, democratic legitimacy and high credibility in institutions on the part of citizens, which make great social progress, which would envy, not only the region, but not just the countries of the European Union”, Kurti said.

Kosovo's prime minister said that Kosovo will continue to remain committed to talks with Serbia, while dismissing the possibility of implementing the agreement for Association of Serb-run municipalities.

For the latter, representatives of the Republika Srpska List, who have 10 deputies in the Kosovo Assembly, have already warned that if by the end of the year, the Association of Serb Major communities is not formed, they will leave Kosovo institutions. The Belgrade authorities have also openly supported this effort. / DW