Enlargement Commissioner Says Will Work Tirelessly to Constantly Bring Kosovo Closer to EU

Marta Kos (BETAPHOTO/HINA/Damir SENCAR)

European Union Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said on May 15 after meeting with Kosovo Premier Albin Kurti that there was a place for Kosovo in the EU, but that it depended on the concrete operation of Kosovo institutions.

"Of course there is a place for Kosovo in the EU. We don't normally work with dates. The more successful Kosovo is in fulfilling reforms, the more successful it is in the Pristina-Belgrade dialog, the better the chances of us being able to start negotiations. That is the political bit. I can't name the year, but I am 100 percent certain and I will work tirelessly to keep bringing Kosovo closer to the European Union," Kos said.

She said one of the biggest parts of her job was to see to the much speedier integration of Kosovo into the EU. The commissioner added that the EU enlargement process has been accelerated due to the security aspect.

"And when we spoke about Kosovo's role in that -- there cannot be security in Europe without Kosovo. Kosovo is an integral part of a larger picture, which is why enlargement today is much more than just enlargement. It is about care for security in Europe, about togetherness, about regional cooperation, which you mentioned too -- of course through EU integration," Kos said, while Kurti noted that Kosovo shared values with the EU and was fully aligned with its foreign and security policy.