In his remarks on the Berlin Summit, Kosovo’s PM, Albin Kurti declared that ‘for Kosovo, the EU begins at home’ and that they see the integration process not as a process of “moving to the EU’ but as a process of reforms, where even those that have left for better economic opportunities, would return back home”.
But, according to Kurti, apart from the homework that is required of the countries of the Western Balkans, “the EU should also do its own, all the while keeping its promises”.
According to him, the Berlin Process was created at the backdrop of the geopolitical challenges and the insecurities of the region, but unfortunately he said, “7 years later, the situation hasn’t changed much”.
This is the reason why, according to Kurti, this begs the need for bold action needed from the EU as well as the Western Balkans, in order to speed up the reforms.
Kosovo’s PM also added that his country is “fully committed to regional cooperation and more economic integration based on recognition of reality and truth, balanced minority rights across the region, facing of the past toward reconciliation, and with citizens as end beneficiaries of the dialogue,” but nonetheless, Kurti didn’t support the idea of the mini Schengen that Albania’s PM, Edi Rama has been promoting for quite some time now.
According to Kurti, the solution would be an Agreement of Free Trade for Southeastern Europe, based on the EFTA-EEA model, that would “elevate the whole region and overcome current obstacles.”
“We certainly hope that the European Commission can seriously consider this proposal and start a dialogue that would lead to concrete results,” said PM Kurti while ending his remarks on the Berlin Summit 2021.
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