Waitz says it would be “nder” if Kosovo Rapporteur is assigned to the EP

Thomas Waitz, austrak Eurodeputs from the Greens parliamentary group, has said in a response to the independent Serbian newspaper “Danas” that there is still no final decision on which group or which MP will assume the position of Kosovo Rapporteur for the European Parliament (PE).

However, he has not concealed interest in this position, naming “nder” reporting on Kosovo. “If I have the honour to do so through the Kosovo report, I will do my best to contribute to the non-violent, respectable and prosperous development of the region”, Waitz said.

Inge Chen, chief of the press office in the Austrian Eurodeput cabinet, has said earlier that discussions about the appointment of Kosovo's Rapporteur for Kosovo to the new European legislature are continuing, but has not denied or claimed the position could be again entrusted to the parliamentary Greens group.

There are ongoing discussions and negotiations, so we can't comment at the moment. We hope that soon we will know more if the Green will assume the position of rapporteur for Kosovo”, Waitz's spokeswoman said in an answer to the Albanian Post when asked whether Austrian could be appointed to this position.

Over the past decade, the position of Kosovo's rapporteur for the EP has been fulfilled by the Greens. From 2019 to 2024, German Eurodeputte Violet von Cremon, sometimes a fierce critic of the government of Serbia, has served in that position but also of the Government of Kosovo. However, it has failed to keep the seat in the June European elections.

Since Waitz is among the Eurodeputs who have secured another mandate, but also the fact that there is an unwritten rule that Kosovo Rapporteur/E's position covers the parliamentary Greens group, then his name has been described as a potential candidate for office.

Waitz during the last term has been very active in EP discussions about issues dealing with the situation in the Western Balkans region, particularly including dialogue on normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia under EU mediation.

Otherwise, EP rapporteurs are responsible for drafting annual reports on the situation in candidate countries or countries aspiring to EU membership. In this context, the decision for new EP rapporteurs for the six Western Balkan countries can be made in autumn.