The Government of Kosovo says that injustice is being done to the country by delaying the review of the application for the status of a candidate country for membership in the European Union. According to the Kosovar executive, the EU's opinion on this application and receiving the questionnaire are necessary steps that must be taken by the European Union. Two years after the application, the government hopes that the Hungarian presidency of the EU Council will treat Kosovo's request with the seriousness it deserves. On the other hand, in the Democratic League of Kosovo, they accuse the government of not having done anything related to European integrations, while they also link this process with the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. Meanwhile, European integration experts are skeptical that there will be a positive decision under Hungary's presidency.

Klisman Kadiu, adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Development and Dialogue, Besnik Bislimi, told KosovaPress that it is unfair that Kosovo is not given the opportunity to be evaluated based on meritocracy on the level of preparation and institutional readiness.

"We think it is unfair that Kosovo is not given the opportunity to be evaluated based on meritocracy on the level of preparation and institutional readiness. The EU's opinion and receiving the questionnaire are necessary steps that must be taken. We have worked closely with the presidencies of the EU Council throughout this period, and we hope that the current Hungarian one will treat our request for application with the seriousness it deserves", said Kadiu in a written response to KosovaPress.

He adds that Kosovo's application for the status of a candidate country for EU membership was the result, as he says, of comprehensive progress and a strong signal of the will, readiness and determination to take steps forward in the process of European integration and the path to the EU.

"Our application for membership in the European Union in December two years ago, came as a result of the comprehensive progress that the country recognized, which was convincingly reflected in the Kosovo Report 2022 of the European Union itself. Also, the application was a strong signal of the will, readiness, and determination to take steps forward in the European integration process and on the way to the EU. Already 8 years after the Stabilization and Association Agreement, Kosovo continues to remain the only country in the region that does not have the status of a candidate country, when the other countries of the Western Balkans have received it immediately, in some cases even a few weeks after the signing of that agreement ", it is further stated in the Kadiu's response.

However, the head of the Committee on European Integration in the Assembly of Kosovo, Rrezarta Krasniqi, told KosovaPress that the government has not done anything for European integration.

She also connects the status of the country as a candidate for EU membership with the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.

On the other hand, the professor of European integrations, Dritëro Arifi, is skeptical that there will be any movement under the Hungarian presidency to grant Kosovo the status of a candidate country for EU membership.

However, he adds that even if Kosovo gets the green light, EU membership is impossible under the current circumstances due to the non-recognition of Kosovo by five EU countries.

Kosovo has applied for the status of a candidate country for membership in the EU on December 15, 2022. The application has so far not been reviewed by any country that has had the presidency of the European Council, while until December 31, 2024, the presidency of the Council is held by Hungary.

Kosovo remains the only country in the region that does not have the status of a candidate country for EU membership. /E.Zeqiri/