02.06.2010 11:59
Making or Breaking the European Future of Kosovo
A road map for visa liberalisation, a clear perspective towards EU membership, and no new negotiations about status have been among the main demands by a group of civil society representatives from Kosovo. They were invited by MEP Ulrike Lunacek, EP rapporteur on Kosovo, to present their concerns and recommendations on the situation in Kosovo to the European public on the eve of the EU Western Balkan summit in Sarajevo on June 2.
Lunacek as well as the civil society experts also coincided in the need for opening a visa-dialogue with Kosovo. The aim is to formulate a road map before the summer in order to prevent further isolation of Kosovar citizens.
The group, consisting of Ilir Deda (Kosovar Institute for Policy Research and Development/KIPRED), Shpend Ahmeti (GAP Institute of Advanced Studies) and Venera Hajrullahu (Kosovar Civil Society Foundation/KCSF) from Prishtina, together with the support of the University of Vienna, developed a paper of policy recommendations directed at EU and Kosovo authorities emphasizing the need for a concrete EU membership perspective for Kosovo.
Hosted by Ulrike Lunacek at a presentation in Vienna on May 31 and in Brussels on June 1 the Kosovar civil society experts made clear that such a perspective includes commencing a formal and contractual relationship with the EU on the basis of a "screening exercise" from 2011 onwards. A formal screening would provide an overview on where Kosovo stands and what the Kosovo government needs to deliver on its road to EU membership.
In the list of recommendations the group of activists also pointed at the need to increase the accountability of the European Rule of Law Mission to Kosovo (EULEX) by establishing monitoring of the mission through the European Parliament and civil society from Kosovo and the EU.
In view of the Sarajevo summit Ulrike Lunacek and her guests agreed that the EU has to make clear that the borders of Kosovo are irreversible and that there will be no swap of territory or partition.
Ulrike Lunacek bei der Präsentation in Brüssel
