Debate: - Reports on Albania – - Reports on Kosovo – - Reports on North Macedonia – - Reports on Serbia
Date: THURSDAY, 25 MARCH 2021
Speaker: Viola Von Cramon-Taubadel
Country: Ireland
Language: EN

Kosovo’s progress on the European path is in our common interest. Parliament stands strong and united with Kosovo and its people, and we need to make sure that all political actors work alongside us for this European perspective. People in Kosovo are overwhelmingly in favour of the European Union, in fact, no country in the region shows a more positive attitude towards the EU than Kosovo. This fact is not self-evident, however, and cannot be taken for granted forever. If we do not fulfil our promises, we lose credibility and trust. It is high time for the Council to deliver at last on the promise of visa liberalisation. I absolutely share the frustration of the citizens of Kosovo. I wish the European Parliament could decide on this matter. A very topical problem is also the lack of vaccine supply in Kosovo. The production capacities here in the EU are currently being increased, and this must lead to a much better supply for Kosovo as soon as possible. The EU should support the speedy vaccination of healthcare workers and other most vulnerable groups. Compared to crisis response, our cooperation regarding the pre-accession funds might not seem that pressing, but in the pursuit of a more sustainable and healthier future for Kosovo the fight against air pollution mainly caused by coal and outdated infrastructure must be tackled as well. We need to use the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) funds wisely. If we do not invest in the energy transition now, we are harming the health of millions of people, not to mention our climate commitments. IPA funds aim at sustainable development. Therefore they need to be accessible. We particularly expect the Commission not to prioritise only state—sponsored infrastructure projects; SMEs, NGOs, civil society are crucial for sustainable development in the region and they must have access to these funds too. Experts advise the EU to spend more of its resources on democratic institution-building, and less on gas pipelines. Apart from those obvious EU topics, our report also encourages Kosovo to make more effort on various domestic issues. Amongst them are topics such as climate change, education policy, gender-based violence, to name just a few. The responsibility for this work lies in Pristina. Ultimately, the Government of Kosovo has to pass the reforms and implement them consistently. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the new Prime Minister Albin Kurti and his government. I wish them every success in responding to the many challenges ahead and look forward to working on our shared priorities. To overcome the current difficulties, political stability is a precondition. In the interest of the country, the new assembly and the government should find common ground and enable the election of the new President. Regarding the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, I ask them not to go for the low-hanging fruits. I ask Kosovo to stay committed to continue to work with Belgrade and the EU, and despite all difficulties not to abandon the dialogue. An agreement, and yes ultimately mutual recognition, is a precondition for EU accession both for Serbia and Kosovo. Joining the EU without a comprehensive agreement will not be feasible, neither for Serbia nor for Kosovo. Asking what Kosovo can gain from the dialogue is the wrong approach. All political actors should rather ask themselves what is lost by abandoning the dialogue? The opportunity—cost of not having any agreement is high, and no one gains anything from the current status quo. This leads me directly to Serbia and the respective report for which I am a shadow rapporteur – after all, Belgrade’s responsibility in this dialogue is not any less, and abandoning it should not be an option for Serbia either.  If President Vučić is truly committed to Serbia’s European path, he should show commitment regarding a comprehensive agreement, which is a precondition for Serbia’s accession. Aleksandar Vučić could and should use his two-thirds parliamentary majority as a strong backing for continuing the dialogue. With this majority ratio, he could easily push through domestic reforms, prove his democratic commitment and deliver changes that improve the livelihood of all Serbian citizens. We are looking forward to seeing the actual results of his work: better democratic conditions and economic prosperity. What we do not want to see, but unfortunately have to, are certain forms of misuse of power. Here I think about how government and individual MPs attack those whose opinions they do not share: silencing, threatening and harassing political opponents are surely not in line with democratic and EU principles to which Serbia has also committed itself. Political debates can sometimes be very controversial, heated and emotionally charged, but hate speech and orchestrated personal attacks are never tolerable. These reports are not an end or a conclusion but a stocktake and guidance for further cooperation. It is almost needless to say that my commitment will continue as ever.