“We will apply for EU candidate status by the end of the year“, said Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti on Friday in a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

“We will pursue our aspiration for EU candidate status by the end of this year”, Kurti declared.

Kurti emphasized that Prishtina is working to fulfill the necessary reforms for integration.

“On June 22, the Bundestag is set to vote on German troops in Kosovo. There is a pressing need for the interest of Kosovo in the Partnership for Peace program and NATO”, he added.

“We’re enhancing our defense capacities by 52%”.

Serbia continues to stop all solutions offered by Kosovo, Kurti said in connection to the dialogue process.

“In regards to the dialogue with Belgrade, we’ve been a creative, constructive and committed party, but it is Serbia who unfortunately continues to block all our offers in line with the Berlin Process”, said Kosovo’s Prime Minister.