Palatova to Kurti: Brussels cannot simply grant you candidate status, you must convince all 27 EU member states

Acting Head of the European Union Office in Kosovo Eva Palatova stated that Kosovo cannot automatically obtain candidate status for membership in the European Union, because it must convince all 27 EU member states to support such a decision.

Speaking at the Europe Day celebration, Palatova was responding to Kosovo’s caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti, who at the same event called on the EU to work toward securing candidate status for Kosovo.

“I know, Mr. Prime Minister, that you want the EU to continue the process regarding the membership application you submitted during the Czech Presidency in Prague. We are here to help you achieve this next goal. But allow me to be frank — Brussels cannot simply grant candidate status. You must convince all 27 member states,” she said, as reported by Front Online.

Palatova stressed that Kosovo must continue to demonstrate democratic standards and institutional stability.

“And for that, these three key elements are important. Kosovo is and must remain a vibrant democracy. The parliamentary elections that will be held exactly one month from now must once again be free, fair, and inclusive,” she added.

She emphasized that the European Union expects the swift formation of institutions after the elections and the continuation of reforms.

“We hope to see the rapid formation of institutions. A government based on a strong parliamentary majority, capable of generating strong inter-party compromises, electing a president, and continuing the reform agenda. And of course, the multiethnic character of Kosovo is of great value to all our member states,” she said.

According to her, EU member states are closely monitoring the way Kosovo treats non-majority communities and implements agreements reached in the dialogue process.

“All our capitals are observing the preservation of that character, constructive engagement with all non-majority communities, so that all citizens of Kosovo, regardless of ethnic affiliation, feel that they have a home and a future here.

In that regard, we rely on the further implementation of the March 14 agreement. And I know, Mr. Prime Minister, that you reaffirmed this once again to the High Representative this week in Yerevan,” she said.

Palatova added that the EU expects agreements to be implemented in good faith and progress to continue in the Brussels-mediated dialogue.

“We count on implementation in good faith. We count on the momentum generated by this agreement to provide additional impetus for concrete solutions and progress in the renewed dialogue process under mediation. We count on that basis, through cooperation among Kosovo’s leadership from all political parties, for candidate status to become attainable and for the promise made at the 2003 Thessaloniki Summit to become a realistic perspective. Now, I also want to be clear that the European Union of 2003 is not the European Union of 2026,” she said.