Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti called on the European Union to grant Kosovo candidate country status and open accession negotiations.
Speaking at an event organized by the EU Office on Europe Day, Kurti said Kosovo should not be left behind in the European integration process.
“For Kosovo, the European Union is not a distant reality or a set of standards to be fulfilled. It is the natural home of our society, the framework of our reforms, and the future already chosen by our citizens. More than 80% of our citizens support membership in the European Union, one of the highest levels of support anywhere in Europe. We have made significant progress in our country. We have one of the strongest economic growth rates in Southeast Europe and the strongest in the Western Balkans. We are frontrunners when it comes to democratic advancement, whether according to the measurements of the World Justice Project, Freedom House, Transparency International, or the World Press Freedom Index. We are also the safest country in our region with the lowest crime rate. All this progress received recognition on our path toward membership in the European Union. After a decade of waiting, we now enjoy visa liberalization and made the historic decision to apply for membership in the European Union on December 15, 2022,” he said.
Kurti said Kosovo is part of the EU Growth Plan and that institutions are making every effort to implement each step.
“Your promise is enlargement. Our promise is reforms, and we can and must deliver both — this is a shared responsibility,” Kurti said.
