Prime Minister Kurti: Blocking the opening of negotiations for visa liberalisation, unfair and short-short

He stressed the Government's commitment to intensify implementation of reforms and meeting the criteria for integration. Similarly, said the Government has launched radical reforms that will strengthen the rule of law, increase equality and freeze social welfare.

It is important that the criteria for Kosovo's progress and progress in the integration process should be right and merit-based, and where there are interstate conditions to be equal conditions for all sides, without discriminated against and unconstitutional Kosovo, Prime Minister Kurti said.

Before the Eurodeputs, the prime minister said meeting reforms from Kosovo must result in fulfillment of obligations by the European Union.

The word of Prime Minister Kurti at the seventh meeting of the Parliamentary Commission for Stabilisation and Association between the European Union and Kosovo:

Honored Speaker of the Republic of Kosovo Assembly, Mr. Glauk Konjufca,

Your Honor, Mr. Ambassador. Thomas Szunyog,

Honored co-chairman of the Parliamentary Stabilisation and Association Commission between the European Union and Kosovo, Mr. ROMEO Franz and Mrs. Mimoza Kusari Lila,

Honored deputies from the European Parliament and the Republic of Kosovo Assembly,

Dear Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear Eurodeputs,

Let me welcome you on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo and thank you for the continued support of the European Parliament for our country and our European path.

I often say that the European Union starts at home and that it needs to grow here from the inside, but we need help from the outside, that is, the help of the European Union as the world's richest socio-economic club.

We are committed to intensifying the implementation of reforms and meeting the criteria for integration and are already on a good track. Democratic changes in our country have brought institutional stability and economic development. By the end of this year, we are expected to have double growth in percentages of Bruto Local Product. Budget revenues have increased by 33.5%, exports have increased by 68%, and in the first months of governance 9.351 workers have been added.

We have successfully managed pandemics, and thanks to government measures and the cooperation of citizens, today we are the first country in the region with the highest average number of vaccines. By the time the region is going through a new wave of infection growth, we have the lowest number. We are grateful for the continued assistance the European Union has provided through the COVAX mechanism programme.

We have begun radical reforms in justice through the adoption of the Veting concept of justice system and the Bill for Confiscating Unjustifiable Riches. We have also intensified the fight against corruption, crime and smuggling.

These reforms will strengthen the rule of law, increase equality and freeze social welfare.

We have also established the Inter-initiative Co-ordination Buildings for the European Integration Process; we have revised and adopted the National Plan for Implementation of a Stabilisation and Association Agreement 2021-2025; we have revised and adopted the Agency for European Reform E. RA II and a series of reforms that were part of the European Union's recommendations for many years but that had not been implemented, like the removal of a car counterpart that was in violation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, the demonstration of customs terminals that we have already started with the opening or return of the terminal in Trepca and by the middle of next year will extend to the entire territory of the country.

These and other topics will be discussed in more detail in the work of this joint Commission today and tomorrow, as will energy, green transition, fundamental rights and regional co-operation. All these are priorities in the European Reform Agency as well.

It is important that Kosovo's criteria for progress and progress in the integration process should be right and merit-based, and where there are interstate conditions to be equal conditions for all sides, without discrimination and over-dedicated Kosovo.

Fulfilling reforms from Kosovo must result in fulfillment of obligations by the European Union. Therefore, honoured Eurodeputs, it is extremely important that the voice of the citizens of Kosovo be heard through you in the European Parliament, but also in the Council of the European Union, where your governments are representatives.

Blocking the decision to open inter-institutional negotiations for reaching the visa liberalisation decision for Kosovo citizens from the Council is unjust and short-term action.

Parliament is the place where this issue should be raised at every meeting until the decision is made because that is where Europe is protected as a continent and not just the narrow interests of member states.

Thank you for your attention and I wish you a good job.