Prime Minister in office of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, after meeting with the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, called for Kosovo’s advancement in the integration process and its path toward candidate country status. He said that they are not asking for shortcuts or a back door, but only for a merit-based process. He also emphasized the need for those responsible for the Banjska terrorist attack in Zvecan to be brought to justice, stating that without accountability, the security risk remains high.

“This is a challenge both for security and for regional cooperation,” he said, while also speaking about Serbia’s destructive approach toward Kosovo.

At the joint press conference with Kos, the acting prime minister stated that finding unity within the EU to make decisions regarding Kosovo is a shared responsibility.

According to him, the current moment of EU enlargement should result in Kosovo’s deserved progress.

“It has been over 40 months since we applied, and the renewed moment of EU enlargement should result in Kosovo’s deserved advancement. Public support for the EU and for EU membership remains consistently around 90% in our country, among the highest of all candidate countries. We are aware of the challenges that exist, but unity in engagement is required. Finding unity within the EU to make decisions regarding Kosovo is a shared responsibility; of course, we are working with member states, but EU institutions must push this unity forward. Enlargement is the most successful tool of EU foreign policy. The vacuum left by the EU is being attempted to be filled by other malicious actors who undermine EU values and threaten our shared security. Therefore, it is everyone’s responsibility for Kosovo to advance in the integration process,” Kurti stated.

The acting prime minister, Albin Kurti, said that Kosovo has made progress in the fundamental pillars that should be recognized by the European Union in the context of enlargement.

“The European Union is a project of peace and prosperity, the largest and most successful such project in Europe since the Second World War, and Kosovo has benefited from the EU, for which we are deeply grateful. We are thankful for the EU’s support; it is our strategic partner and at the same time the largest donor since 1999 when we were liberated. The EU has invested over 3.7 billion euros. We have made progress in the fundamental pillars, and we are convinced that this deserves recognition by the EU in the context of enlargement. We are not asking for shortcuts or a back door, only a merit-based process,” he said.

Kurti also stated that they are working at maximum capacity to minimize the impact on reforms caused by the blockade in the Assembly.

“Six reform steps have been confirmed by the European Commission, and we expect further steps by the June deadline. Despite the lack of a functional Assembly last year and even now, some reforms have been delayed and are now also at risk for the June deadline. We are working at maximum capacity to minimize the impact on reforms caused by the blockade in the Assembly. In recent years, Kosovo has advanced in the preparation of many chapters; we have achieved a moderate level of preparation in 5 chapters and a certain level of preparation in 8 other chapters. From limited progress to enhanced progress we have moved in 18 chapters, and from enhanced progress to good progress in 5 other chapters. So, we have continuous and sustainable progress,” Kurti said.

The acting prime minister again called for accountability for terrorist attacks carried out in Kosovo.

The European Union Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, also met today with the acting president, Albulena Haxhiu.

Friday’s visit to Kosovo is her first since taking office in 2024. Her agenda does not include visits to other countries in the region before or after her stay in Pristina.

Kos had planned a visit to Kosovo on March 12, but it was canceled due to political developments at the time—President Vjosa Osmani had issued a decree dissolving the Assembly on March 6, as the state body had failed to elect its speaker a day earlier, which was the deadline to do so.

This visit comes roughly three weeks before the new elections scheduled in Kosovo on June 7.