Kosova’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti has urged the European Union to grant the country candidate status and launch membership negotiations as soon as possible.
Speaking after the European Commission presented its 2026 report on Kosova, Kurti said EU integration remained a long-term strategic priority. He stressed that the process enjoyed broad public support and cross-party consensus. However, he said Kosova remained the only Western Balkan country without candidate status, nearly four years after submitting its membership application.
Kurti also blamed the parliamentary deadlock for slowing reforms. The deadlock delayed ratification of an agreement under the Growth Plan and left several laws awaiting approval.
He acknowledged slower progress in some areas compared with last year but rejected claims of regression. The European Commission had not found a decline in Kosova’s level of preparedness in any field, he said.
Kurti highlighted improvements in the fight against organised crime and progress in public administration reform, justice, freedom and security, financial services, statistics and freedom of expression. He also noted that the Commission had assessed all three elections held between October 2025 and June 2026 as peaceful, competitive and well managed.
Kurti said the European Commission supported the launch of the technical process. However, EU member states and institutions had yet to provide the political mandate needed to move forward.
/a.p./
The post Kosova’s prime minister says EU status fails to reflect progress appeared first on RTSH.
