Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-03-28-Speech-3-095-000"
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"en.20120328.17.3-095-000"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, honourable Members, thank you for the debate here in Parliament today concerning Kosovo’s EU perspective. I would particularly like to thank Ms Lunacek for her strong commitment to Kosovo and to Kosovo’s EU integration process. The EU has unequivocally committed itself to the European perspective for Kosovo, and it will continue to support Kosovo with a strong presence, via EULEX for example, but the primary responsibility for progress lies, of course, with Kosovo’s leaders.
Kosovo is facing huge challenges, and a great deal has been achieved in just a few years. However, we must also recognise that some quite exceptional circumstances apply in the case of such a young country. Kosovo has made good progress in establishing improved public infrastructure, which will make it easier to initiate the necessary reforms, but the path towards the EU will be a long and tough one, based on hard work and the country’s own merits. Croatia’s accession to the EU and the most recent granting of candidate status to Serbia demonstrate, however, that EU orientation is entirely possible for those countries that do the work required of them. This will also be a source of motivation for the other countries of the Western Balkans, including Kosovo.
During the discussions today we have touched on a number of areas in which reforms are required. I will just mention a few key problems. I share the concern over the limited progress made by Kosovo in general with regard to the political criteria, particularly in the area of combating corruption.
Corruption is a very serious problem in Kosovo, and the follow-up in corruption cases could be better, as only a limited number of high-level cases have resulted in prosecution. An extra effort ought to be made in the future by the authorities in Kosovo in this regard.
It is also vital that further steps are taken to combat organised crime. Additional legislation must be adopted in this area, and this legislation must be implemented effectively. It is also important for these initiatives to be implemented in cooperation with the neighbouring countries, as organised crime does not respect national borders. In general, there is a definite need for reform and development of the judicial system in Kosovo, and this is an area in which the EU is providing active support.
With regard to the economy, there is a considerable need to implement structural reforms, which will enable Kosovo to develop into a properly functioning market economy. There is still a long way to go in this regard.
In other words, the challenges are huge, but the EU has a particular obligation to support Europe’s youngest state, so that, by means of further reforms, it can take the necessary steps towards further EU orientation. Kosovo’s leaders are aware of this and want to make an extra effort to live up to expectations, and the government in Priština has shown, through the EU-facilitated dialogue with Belgrade, that it is prepared to work in a pragmatic way to find solutions, even in difficult matters.
It is important for Kosovo to continue on this course, and in this regard it is my hope that the government in Priština will set to work in a pragmatic way and renew its efforts to set an inclusive and long-term agenda for the future of northern Kosovo. In this regard, the Danish Presidency is looking forward to continuing its close cooperation with Parliament and the Commission."@en1
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