The European Union has expressed regret for the created political situation in Kosovo, which has brought the country into another election cycle. In a written statement distributed to the media by the EU press office, it is emphasized that Brussels has repeatedly called on political actors to guarantee institutional stability.
According to the statement, the lack of a consensus on a unifying presidential candidate has accelerated political developments, leading the country to its third general election in less than 18 months.
“We regret that the political parties did not identify a unifying figure as a presidential candidate, which means that Kosovo is now heading for its third general election in less than 18 months”says the official response.
The EU emphasizes the urgent need to strengthen the inter-party dialogue, in order to ensure the efficient functioning of the institutions and avoid the loss of opportunities that benefit citizens, especially within the Growth Plan.
The financial funds allocated for Kosovo remain the focus of concern. The European Commission has allocated over 882 million euros for the country, but a part of these funds risks being lost due to institutional deadlock and delays in the implementation of reforms.
Kosovo received the first installment of pre-financing late, while future payments, over 90 million and over 165 million euros, are conditional on the fulfillment of concrete reforms. Some of them have a final deadline in June, while others in December of this year.
The EU states that there is readiness to continue supporting Kosovo and to cooperate in all areas, including the Reform Agenda within the Growth Plan. However, it is emphasized that the non-implementation of the reforms will lead to the irreversible loss of funds.
Kosovo must fulfill a total of 111 reform steps by the end of 2027 to benefit from the full amount of financial support provided.
