Hoxha: Kosovo has not made as much progress in the dialogue and on the Association of Municipalities as the EU expects

Abit Hoxha, assistant professor at the University of Agder, does not expect the upcoming, so far unofficially announced, visit to Kosovo by EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos to bring changes in the EU’s approach toward Pristina, but rather that it will serve to repeat Brussels’ well-known positions. In the eyes of the EU, as he points out, certain processes such as the dialogue with Belgrade have not progressed as much as the Union expects.

“I do not expect things to change, but rather a repetition of the EU’s political positions on Kosovo, namely that Kosovo should achieve something that Kosovo politicians call conditions, but that is not the case, those are not conditions, but progress that Kosovo should achieve for itself and not for the EU,” Hoxha told Kosovo Online.

Asked whether the EU is angry with Kurti, considering statements by some of its officials, or whether it is supporting him, given that Kos’s visit, expected during this week, will take place at a time when Kosovo is preparing for new elections, Hoxha says that the issue is not whether the EU cares about Kurti, but rather about processes that, in the EU’s view, have not progressed as much as the Union expects.

“In the dialogue and regarding the Association of Municipalities, as well as other issues, Kosovo essentially has not progressed in the eyes of the EU,” he notes.

He also says that Brussels is sending messages to Kosovo that are not always completely clear.

“There is always a bit of ambiguity with Brussels, but I think that Kosovo politicians in this scenario should understand that the best interpretation of Brussels is always progress toward what Brussels expects the institutions to do,” our interlocutor points out.