Spain speaks for Kosovo's EU application: the last “time for resolving the Kosovo issue”

Prime Minister Albin Kurti hastily submitted the application for Kosovo's membership in the European Union in Prague last December until the Czech Republic was leading with the EU presidency. The reason was that this state proved successful in advancing issues of interest for Kosovo, such as visas. However, more days to deal with the Kosovo file fell to Sweden, which since January followed Czechia. Now the situation is more problematic for the prosperity of Kosovo's application since at the top of the presidency is the most controversial member of Kosovo's citizenship.

Spain has taken over the leadership of the EU presidency from the beginning of this month and extends until the end of the year, when it even ends its six-month cycle. But will Kosovo's application be penalised during this period?

A Spanish diplomatic source, who said Spain's stance is the same for Kosovo, has discussed the issue. This time Spain sees the final to come to the resolution, until it added that their former foreign minister, current EU diplomat Josep Borrell, has a strong interest in ending the Kosovo-Serbia agreement.

“Spain takes its unrecognizable stance on the unilateral declaration of independence adopted by Pristina in 2008. We protect the need for the Kosovo territory issue to be resolved through dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. It is time to make final efforts to resolve the Kosovo issue. We have a High Representative with great interest to help solve the conflict, and we fully support the work of Special Representative Lajcak”, this diplomatic source for Gazette Express said.

The Spanish state, which does not recognise Kosovo's independence due to its internal problems, has consistently declared to be a supporter of the outcome resulting from the EU-led Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.

But Spain did not take any positive steps towards Kosovo even when the Ohrid Agreement came out of this dialogue. In an earlier response, a few days after the EU announced there is agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, the Spanish government told Express that Spain preserves its position against Kosovo and that it supports “potentially a mutually acceptable solution under the EU facilitated dialogue”, but that it also expects implementation of the agreement.

Unlike Spain, Sweden had given support for Kosovo's EU membership application.

In February of this year, the Swedish Presidency has told Express it is dealing with Kosovo's application and is continuing with consultations with member states. However, their sʹe have commented.

European officials who are mediating the Kosovo-Serbia agreement have consistently suggested that dialogue is the way through which the two neighbouring states must go to become member states.

Unlike other European countries that aspire to the Union, Kosovo has a more specific problem since it is not recognised by five EU member states -- Spain, Slovakia, Greece, Romania and Cyprus -- and to approve the application for membership is required the unanimous of 27 members.

In mid-December, Prime Minister Kurti travelled towards Prague to submit Kosovo's application for EU membership. There Kurti had said it was a historic day for Kosovo and a big day for democracy in Europe.