Debate in the European Parliament - support for Kosovo, warning to politicians

The debate was held on the report presented by Riho Terras, rapporteur for Kosovo. He spoke about the visit he made to Kosovo to prepare this report. He underlined the good electoral process, but also focused on the blockade that has hindered so much the necessary reforms in Kosovo.

Full support for Kosovo's strategic orientation for Euro-Atlantic integration, special support for the concessions made shortly before the entry into force of the Law on Foreigners, but also concern for the time lost due to political uncertainties were the main messages heard on Tuesday morning in the debate on Kosovo in the European Parliament's Foreign Policy Committee.

The debate was held on the report presented by Riho Terras, rapporteur for Kosovo. He spoke about the visit he made to Kosovo to prepare this report. He underlined the good electoral process, but also focused on the blockade that has hindered so much of the necessary reforms in Kosovo.
Speaking about the negative aspects, rapporteur Terras in particular highlighted the deterioration of media freedom in Kosovo, the lack of transparency of media ownership. Some MPs have called for more assistance for independent media, saying that they are a pillar of the development of a democratic society.

Rapporteur Terras, meanwhile, did not fail to mention the EU sanctions against Kosovo, saying that they have had serious consequences.

"No meeting has gone by without mentioning the punitive measures against Kosovo, these have been relaxed, but they must be stopped immediately, because they do not make sense," he said, adding that these measures have hit the citizens, the civil sector and Kosovo society as a whole. Terras asked the five EU countries that have not recognized Kosovo's independence to do so.

During the debate, it was said that Kosovo has many good examples of democracy, it could be a lesson for others in the region on how to conduct elections, but the political elite must show more responsibility to overcome disagreements. 

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The head of the delegation for Kosovo, Davor Ivo Stier, has requested that Kosovo be granted candidate country status.

"Kosovo marked the 18th anniversary of its independence a few days ago. The time has come for the EU to grant Kosovo the status of candidate country," said this Croatian MP, underlining that, at Serbia's own request, the International Court of Justice has found that Kosovo's independence is not in conflict with international law. Also, he said, Serbia has agreed through dialogue agreements not to hinder Kosovo's membership in international organizations.
"While Kosovo's challenges are largely external, the main challenge is within it. This is the inability of politicians to overcome disagreements," he said.

Speaking on behalf of the European Commission, Jiri Plecity, from the Enlargement Directorate, said the bloc was optimistic that Kosovo would finally move forward after the formation of the new Government. 

"We were optimistic after the rapid formation of the Government that Kosovo would enter a long political stability that could accelerate reforms. But as you know, the election of the president is an issue under consideration in the Constitutional Court and we are awaiting the verdict," he said.

He also stated that the European Commission is ready to draft an opinion on the candidate status for Kosovo as soon as it receives such a mandate from the member states.

Meanwhile, the Representative of the EU External Action Service (EEAS), Anne Kempainen, welcomed the agreement on the implementation of the Law on Foreigners, calling it a first step towards the integration of institutions supported by Serbia into structures under the legal framework of Kosovo.

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"We support Kosovo's integration into the EU, but Kosovo must also do its part in fulfilling the criteria," she said. She also welcomed Kosovo's voluntary alignment with the EU in foreign policy. She particularly thanked the previous ambassador to Kosovo, Aivo Orav, for his contribution to Kosovo and the implementation of EU policy.

In the text of the report itself, the political crisis of last year, but also the uncertainties that returned after the failure of the presidential election, are the main messages.

The draft of this report welcomes the formation of the Assembly and the creation of a new Government in Kosovo after the December 28 elections, but at the same time regrets the failure of the Assembly to elect a new president within the constitutional deadline, thus pushing the country towards new elections.

The text of this draft also states that the past year has been characterized by political paralysis, which is why that year can be considered a lost year for Kosovo. In this regard, this report also reflects the Progress Report for Kosovo adopted by the European Commission in the fall of 2025.

The report written by rapporteur Terras welcomes the gradual lifting of the EU's punitive measures against Kosovo, which Parliament has repeatedly criticized.

Even in this text, as the European Parliament has repeatedly done, an invitation has been made to the five EU countries that have not yet recognized Kosovo to do so in order to pave the way for Kosovo's progress towards European integration.

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This text supports Kosovo's application for membership in the European Union, for membership in the Council of Europe and for integration into NATO. These goals are considered evidence of Kosovo's unwavering strategic orientation towards Euro-Atlantic integration. 

Once again, the report expressed full support for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia and called for it to result in the normalization of relations through mutual recognition.
On Tuesday, a debate was also held on the report on Serbia. With the exception of the far-right parties that supported Serbia, the other speakers in the debate harshly criticized this country, demanding that the EU not continue financial assistance to Serbia or its advancement in the integration process until Belgrade changes its behavior. Among other things, the failure to bring to justice those responsible for the terrorist attack in Banjska, Zvečan in 2023, when police sergeant Afrim Bunjaku was killed, was criticized.