Progress Report: Kosovo with limited progress, Montenegro leads the way towards the EU

Kurti positively views the Report where Kosovo is assessed with limited progress and stagnation

Albin Kurti

Photo: Driton Paçarada

The acting Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, has assessed this year's Progress Report as positive, although this report finds limited progress and stagnation for Kosovo.

According to Kurti, this year there has been no setback in almost any field.

"This year, even though we have been the government in office, the Report finds that we have successfully completed our tasks. EU integration remains a priority and strategic priority for Kosovo. This year's Report is positive in almost all areas and offers recommendations where there are setbacks. This year, there has been no setback in any area, there has been progress in 35 areas and setbacks in 3. Progress ranges from limited to advanced. Our orientation is clear - EU membership. The Report confirms our commitment to the integration process," he emphasized at a press conference.

Kurti has been criticized in the public opinion for damaging relations with friendly countries due to the decisions he has made in government. On Tuesday, Kurti said that this was seen in the Report as "progress in foreign relations."

"What was reflected in public opinion as a breakdown in foreign relations, this report shows that it is progress in foreign relations. In foreign relations, the report emphasizes significant advancement, progress in the implementation of the regional common market agreements 2021-2024. We will work to ensure that the report's recommendations are put back into practice," he said.

Oravi calls on parties to come together for Kosovo's progress

The European Union Ambassador to Kosovo, Aivo Orav, has called on the country's political parties to unite beyond divisions and create a strong majority that will enable the implementation of reforms and the ratification of important agreements for Kosovo's development.

"We are at a crucial time for Kosovo, the Western Balkans and the European Union. For the EU, enlargement is a strategic imperative – an investment in stability, security and prosperity," Orav said during a press conference on Tuesday alongside acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti, where the findings of the Progress Report are being presented.

He stressed that Kosovo's neighbors, Albania and Montenegro, are on the right path towards European integration, while assessing that this year has been "a step back" for Kosovo. According to him, progress on the European path requires stable partners and a government with a solid majority that can implement the Growth Plan and fulfill the obligations from the dialogue with Serbia.

The European Ambassador mentioned that Kosovo has made progress in six main areas: the functioning of the judiciary, social development, transport policies, food security, external relations and institutional capacity building. He assessed that the recent elections were held in accordance with European standards, but warned that more work is needed in building a competitive economy and increasing the efficiency of public administration.

Orav called for improvements in freedom of expression and the media environment, condemning attacks on journalists and the abusive language used, including by politicians. He also stressed the importance of improving the legal framework for RTK and the IMC, as well as aligning the anti-corruption strategy with European standards.

Speaking about the EU measures against Kosovo, the ambassador said that the first steps have been taken towards their removal, but stressed that the process remains conditional on the de-escalation of the situation in the north and the transfer of power after local elections.

"I hope that Kosovo will soon have a government with which we can work," concluded Ambassador Orav.

Osmani says the challenges of the Progress Report should be addressed with priority

The President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, received the EU Ambassador to Kosovo, Aivo Orav, in a meeting and received the European Commission's Kosovo 2025 Report.

During the meeting, according to the presidency's announcement, it is said that the findings of the report and those that remain as challenges to be addressed were discussed, which Osmani said should be treated as a priority.

"During the meeting, the findings of the report were discussed, which positively assesses Kosovo's progress in several areas, but at the same time highlights the challenges that remain to be addressed. President Osmani emphasized that these findings should be treated as a priority, in order for Kosovo to continue with determined steps and at the forefront of reforms towards membership in the European Union," the presidency's announcement states.

It further states that she "emphasized that this process contributes not only to the prosperity and sustainable development of the country, but also to long-term peace and security in the region and beyond."

What is said about EU measures in the Progress Report?

In the 2025 Progress Report For Kosovo, the European Union has linked their further removal to the de-escalation of the situation in the north.

Initially, it was stated that the measures have begun to be gradually lifted, linking it to the resumption of meetings within the framework of the Stabilization and Association Agreement. But further lifting depends on de-escalation in the north.

"Further steps remain conditional on a sustained reduction in tensions in the north. The Commission intends to further lift these measures on the condition that an orderly transfer of local government in the north is achieved, after the second round of local elections, and if the reduction in tensions is sustained," the report states.

The report highlights that the measures have also had a financial impact. And after the gradual lifting of the measures began, according to the report, four technical assistance projects in support of potential investments under the Reform and Growth Program have been resubmitted and approved.

Montenegro leads the way to membership, Albania makes significant progress

The European Union's Enlargement Commissioner, Marta Kos, has announced that Montenegro is leading in membership plans, but Albania, Moldova and Ukraine have also achieved significant progress. 

During her appearance at the European Parliament, Kos emphasized that these four candidates have shown clear aspirations for the EU. 

"Montenegro is the most advanced and has made significant progress towards EU membership and is the most prepared country, but Albania has also made extraordinary progress over the last year, with strong political commitment and clear aspirations for the EU. Moldova has also made progress on its path, despite efforts to divert it from Russia," she said, The Guardian reported. 

As for Ukraine, Kos said it is necessary to preserve this momentum and prevent any risk of retreat.

The most negative report is expected to be for Serbia, which in some areas has not made any progress at all, and in some has even marked a setback, KOHA reported.

Serbia is criticized for "backsliding" on media freedom, for failing to fulfill obligations from the agreement to normalize relations with Kosovo, for failing to take measures against the perpetrators of the attacks in Banjska, and for continuing to cooperate with Russia, while not adapting to the European Union's positions on sanctions.

Serbia is required to stop the rhetoric against the EU and the West and to properly communicate Serbia's goal of integration into the European Union.

Progress Report Approved: Kosovo with Limited Progress and Stagnation

Photo-Illustration: TIME

The European Commission has approved the Progress Report for 2025, which finds limited progress and stagnation for Kosovo. 

The main reason is the fragmentation of the political scene and the institutional deadlock. The European Commission remains ready to draft an opinion on the candidate country status for Kosovo, but it needs a mandate from the member states.

The lifting of measures against Kosovo is conditional on the transfer of local government to the north.

All agreements from the dialogue must be implemented by both Kosovo and Serbia.

Regarding the measures imposed by the EU on Kosovo, it was said that their gradual lifting has begun, and that in the context of the lifting, a meeting was held within the framework of the Stabilization and Association Agreement in July. It was emphasized there that their further lifting depends on de-escalation in the north.

"Further steps remain conditional on a sustained reduction in tensions in the north. The Commission intends to further lift these measures on the condition that an orderly transfer of local government in the north is achieved, after the second round of local elections, and if the reduction in tensions is sustained," the report states.

The report highlights that following the start of the gradual lifting of measures, four technical assistance projects in support of potential investments under the Reform and Growth Program have been resubmitted and approved.

Some of the main points on which the Report shows that Kosovo has stalled and that have influenced the non-removal of measures are related to the Parliament, the Government, the judiciary and the economy. 

While discussing the recent parliamentary elections, it was said that there were cases of harsh rhetoric, misuse of public resources, and socio-political pressure in Serb-majority areas of Kosovo.

“The Assembly still needs to improve its internal management system and adopt work plans. With the start of the election campaign in January 2025, the Assembly entered a period of inactivity. Following the parliamentary elections, the Assembly’s failure to form has seriously undermined the functioning of key democratic institutions. Kosovo is between an early stage of preparation and a certain level of preparation to implement European standards on the judiciary and fundamental rights, and has made limited progress,” the report states. 

It further states that Kosovo has not yet ratified the CEFTA additional protocols on trade facilitation, trade in services and dispute settlement. While exports have increased, the trade deficit remained high and Kosovo has not yet implemented a comprehensive trade policy.

Regarding EU integration, it has been said that disagreements, polarization, and lack of cooperation between political parties have hindered significant progress in EU-related reforms. 

“These disagreements and the long boycott of Assembly sessions by the Srpska List in the previous legislature have weakened the institution’s ability to adopt laws, appoint members of public bodies, and ensure effective oversight,” the report states. 

The political stalemate, according to the report, has damaged the functioning of democratic institutions and risks undermining public trust in democratic processes.

"The election campaign has also slowed down decision-making. Polarizing language against opponents continued to be used in political debates. Since the February elections, the Assembly has consistently failed to convene, which is a prerequisite for the formation of a government. Due to this political deadlock, the outgoing government has been in caretaker status since March 23, 2025, with limited executive functions," it further said.

The Progress Report assessed that the independence of the judiciary and the Constitutional Court must be respected at all times.

The low participation of MPs in sessions was also criticized. 

“The assembly faced deep political polarization, procedural violations, low turnout, persistent boycotts, and rushed legislation, while the governing majority shrank during the mandate. On the one hand, the ruling party’s reliance on procedural shortcuts to pass laws without consensus undermined the credibility of the legislative process. On the other hand, opposition parties misused parliamentary oversight instruments, disrupting the legislative process. The introduction of the electronic voting system was a positive development,” the report emphasized.

Progress towards European integration is said to have stalled due to the incompetence of the Assembly and the political deadlock following the general elections.

“Despite the government’s commitment and public support for Kosovo’s European path, accompanied by positive communication on the EU integration process, divisive internal politics continued to hinder the implementation of the EU agenda. The institutions responsible for the EU integration process remain in place. The centralization of the EU agenda sometimes limits political ownership in the relevant ministries and slows down decision-making. EU integration activities have been negatively affected by weak administrative capacity and the fact that a large number of key positions in the public administration are held by incumbents,” it was further emphasized.

Regarding the judicial system, the report emphasizes that it has a legal and institutional infrastructure, but faces major challenges: weak implementation, lack of independence, low efficiency, lack of resources, political influence, and the need to strengthen the fight against corruption and access to justice for non-majority communities.

Report on Kosovo

No surprise: Kosovo with limited progress due to political stalemate

Photo: Driton Paçarada

The European Commission College meeting starting today at noon will adopt the EU enlargement package, along with the individual progress reports for the countries involved in the enlargement process. Afterwards, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos will present these reports to the European Parliament and later at a press conference to journalists in Brussels. Meanwhile, the EU Ambassador to Kosovo will also hand over this report to the acting Prime Minister, Albin Kurti.

Koha had the opportunity to read the draft report on Kosovo a few days before its adoption. There are no surprises. The report mainly mentions limited progress, or even stagnation. The main reason is the fragmentation of the political scene and the institutional deadlock. The European Commission remains ready to draft an opinion on the status of the candidate country for Kosovo, but it needs a mandate from the member states. The lifting of measures against Kosovo is conditional on the transfer of local government to the north. All agreements from the dialogue must be implemented by both Kosovo and Serbia. The most negative report is the one for Serbia, while the most positive ones are for Montenegro and Albania.

Kosovo has made largely limited or no progress in the one-year period spanning September 2024 to September this year. This lack of major progress, according to the European Commission, is largely due to the political polarization created during the February 9 elections, as well as the political stalemate that followed them.

In the draft report on Kosovo, which is not expected to change much, most chapters talk about “limited progress”, “some progress” and in some cases it is even stated that “there has been no progress”. Kosovo is mostly criticized for the situation in the field of freedom of expression, where there has been no progress in implementing the recommendations from the previous report, and for the actions in the north, which, as this report also states, have been in contradiction with Kosovo’s obligations towards the EU and towards the process of normalizing relations.

This report on Kosovo is less positive than previous reports, in which there was more progress. But the report will not come as a surprise to anyone, knowing what period Kosovo has been through since the beginning of this year.

"The period covered by the report was affected by divisive domestic politics and confrontational campaigning in the run-up to the general elections of 9 February 2025. This was followed by political deadlock due to the inability or unwillingness of political parties to find a way forward towards the establishment of institutions. The government had been in caretaker government status since 23 March, with only limited executive functions to carry out day-to-day work," the draft report states.

In the section on Kosovo's relations with the EU, it is mentioned that Kosovo's citizens already enjoy visa liberalization, that Kosovo has also approved the Reform Agenda within the framework of the Growth Plan, that Kosovo demonstrates its commitment to EU integration, and has unilaterally adapted to the EU's positions in foreign policy. However, it is noted that Kosovo has not been able to benefit from the first payments from the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, because it has not been able to ratify the relevant agreement with the EU for funds and loans. According to Kosovo's laws, such an agreement has the character of international agreements and must be ratified in the Assembly with two-thirds of the votes.

It is also stated that during this period there was a continuation of EU punitive measures against Kosovo, for the removal of which the Commission has started working since May of this year.

"Further steps are conditional on sustainable de-escalation in the north. The Commission intends to further lift financial measures if an orderly transfer of governance in the north is achieved after the second round of local elections and de-escalation is sustainable," the text states.

The Commission is expected to find that there has been no progress regarding freedom of expression.

There is a lot of criticism of Kosovo, with the assertion that there has been no progress in the area of ​​freedom of expression and the state of the media.

“While the media environment is pluralistic, it faces challenges related to transparency of media ownership and financial sustainability,” the draft report states, and reiterates recommendations from the previous year to improve conditions for journalists, strengthen professional reporting, and improve capacities to resolve cases of attacks on journalists.

"During the reporting period, 70 cases of physical and verbal attacks, as well as threats against journalists were reported, including the obstruction of journalists and media workers in carrying out their work," the report states, noting that "during the election campaign, senior Kosovo officials, including the Prime Minister, used offensive language towards the media."

A large part of the report is dedicated this year to the process of normalizing relations between Kosovo and Serbia, reiterating that fulfilling the obligations from this dialogue is a prerequisite for both Kosovo and Serbia in the European integration process, but also for benefits from the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.

In the section on the fulfillment of obligations, the call is repeated for Kosovo to initiate the establishment of the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities, based on the “European Proposal” of the draft statute of this Association, while for Serbia to recognize the documents and symbols of Kosovo. The report states that progress in the normalization of relations has been hindered also due to the political situation, both in Kosovo and in Serbia, as well as by the lack of measures by Serbia against the perpetrators of the attack in Banjska, which the report reiterates has marked the greatest escalation of security.

The statement is reiterated that the departure of Serbs from Kosovo institutions in 2022 and their boycott of local elections in April 2023 marked a "serious setback" in Serbia's obligations under the dialogue agreements. However, the participation of Serbs in the parliamentary elections of February 9 and the recent local elections, which are seen as the beginning of their return to Kosovo institutions, is also welcomed.

"The EU reiterates that the return of Kosovo Serbs to Kosovo institutions, including the judiciary and law enforcement agencies, must be carried out in accordance with the agreements from the dialogue and in full respect of the Kosovo legal framework," the text states.

Serbia's engagement against Kosovo in international forums is also criticized. The call is reiterated for Kosovo and Serbia to implement the obligations of the Brussels Agreement and the annex for its implementation and to engage with greater will towards the normalization of relations, while avoiding language that goes against the spirit of normalization. It is reiterated that the "formalities" around the agreements should not be taken as an excuse for their non-implementation.

Montenegro and Albania at the top – Serbia at the bottom

The most positive reports this year are those for Montenegro and Albania, which is logical since these candidate countries have made the most progress in the accession negotiations process. The most negative report is expected to be that for Serbia, which in some areas has made no progress at all, and in some has even regressed.

Albania is said to have made "unprecedented progress" by opening a large number of chapters in the accession negotiation process. It is expected that after two weeks Albania will open the last chapters. While Montenegro has managed to close several chapters. Montenegro and Albania are said to have "ambitious plans" to close the accession negotiations during 2026 in the case of Montenegro or 2027 in the case of Albania.

The European Commission finds that it is realistic to have enlargement, i.e. the admission of new member states, by the end of this Commission's mandate, i.e. before 2030.

Serbia is criticized for "backsliding" on media freedom, for failing to fulfill obligations from the agreement to normalize relations with Kosovo, for failing to take measures against the perpetrators of the attacks in Banjska, and for continuing to cooperate with Russia, while not adapting to the European Union's positions on sanctions.

Serbia is required to stop the rhetoric against the EU and the West and to properly communicate Serbia's goal of integration into the European Union.