It is noted that EU membership is a strategic goal for Kosovo and is supported by more than 90% of the local population.

The government of Kosovo intends to officially submit an application for membership in the European Union to Brussels on December 15.

As reported by the Kosovo TV channel RTK, which received the document justifying the application, it is not yet known how the EU will respond to Kosovo’s application, because its independence has not been recognized by five EU countries: Spain, Cyprus, Greece, Slovakia and Romania.

The TV channel reports that the application was made in November 2022. It emphasizes that EU membership is a strategic goal for Kosovo and is supported by more than 90% of the local population.

The document justifying the application begins with a summary of Kosovo’s path to the EU, which began almost two decades after the European Council in Thessaloniki promised a European perspective for all the countries of the Western Balkans.

Since then, among the Western Balkan states, only Kosovo has not applied for accession.

“Despite this, membership in the EU remains a strategic goal for the country, which is evidenced by the government’s firm commitment to carrying out key reforms within the framework of the European Reform Program,” the document states.

It goes on to say that there is a broad consensus across the political spectrum and among citizens in favor of Kosovo’s EU membership, and that, based on regional polls, Kosovo now has the highest level of support from the general public at 94% in favour.

“Therefore, the time is right not only for Kosovo’s application for EU membership, but this step also illustrates the strong will of our citizens and is a clear manifestation of the firm commitment of Kosovo’s institutions to the Euro-Atlantic path,” the document says.

It should be noted that as early as 2003, the European Union decided to offer the countries of the Western Balkans EU membership on the condition that these countries carry out political and economic reforms in accordance with European norms. Croatia became the first and so far the only one of these countries to join the Union in 2013.

Kosovo is applying to join the EU amid renewed tensions with Serbia.

The situation in Kosovo

As reported, on July 31, armed clashes began in the north of Kosovo due to changes in the rules of travel to Kosovo.

The President of Serbia, Oleksandr Vucic, said that the Kosovo army allegedly intends to attack the Serbs in the north of the country. He later made a speech and said that Serbia would “seek peace.”

Ukraine decided to withdraw its military personnel who participated in the peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.

In December, on the eve of the elections, relations between Serbs and Kosovars began to deteriorate again. On December 11, Vuchich declared that he was facing “the hardest night”.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has advised Ukrainians to avoid trips to Kosovo due to increased tensions between Belgrade and Pristina.