Kosova: EU Parliament's Pack Says Kosovo Has Chance for EU Integration
The European Parliament (EP) is committed to its role in Kosovo and expects status negotiations to lead to a positive result, paving the way for lasting peace in the region, according to EP delegation head Doris Pack.
Doris Pack, the head of the European Parliament's (EP) Southeast Europe delegation, arrived in Pristina on Tuesday (21 February). She voiced her belief that the status negotiations in Vienna will lead to a positive result and pave the way for lasting peace in the region.
In talks with Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu and other officials, Pack said that the EP is committed to its role in the province, but it is also "responsible to its voting members to show where the funding it provides is going".
She also spoke of the province's chances for EU integration after the status question is settled. Membership is possible, she said. However, the prospects are "very difficult to judge" at the moment, she told reporters.
Sejdiu said Pack had pledged that the EU would continue its support for Kosovo's institutions and people, and he called on the EP to assist with the process of resolving the province's final status and integrating it into European structures.
Pack also met with Kosovo Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi, praising his commitment to establish trust among all communities in Kosovo. Kosumi said he is confident that the status process will be completed this year.
Yet Pack was clear. "Integration in the EU will be impossible without regional co-operation. The times of war are over and now it is time to build. The countries of the Balkans and Kosovo will have the EU's support in achieving the necessary goals, but no one will do your job. Therefore, your fate is in your hands," she said.
