EU-Outsider Kosovo Makes Most of Europe Day

Although Kosovo’s membership in the European Union is far off, the country still celebrated Europe Day with gusto and several activities organized in the capital, Pristina.

Many people used their day off on Friday to follow the soccer tournament organized by the EU office in Pristina and the Kosovo authorities.

Kosovo politicians competed with French diplomats but lost the game by 8-3.
Bernard Nikaj, outgoing minister of trade, told Balkan Insight that the idea behind this and other activities was to mark Europe Day "by having fun”.

His French rivals said they hoped the match would encourage Kosovo to continue with its efforts to move closer to the EU.

“We play to show that the EU is a big family and that Kosovo is welcome in this family,” one of the French embassy players said.

While Kosovo hasn’t even signed a Stabilisation and Association Agreement, SAA - the first step to joining - neighbouring Montenegro has started membership talks.

Serbia and Macedonia have meanwhile obtained candidate status while Albania has obtained a conditional recommendation for candidate status.

Ragged relations with Serbia, high levels of organized crime and corruption and the interference of politics in the justice system continue to be the main obstacles impeding Kosovo on the path to EU integration.

Nikaj said the fact that Kosovo remains out of the running for the EU at present was a “huge injustice.

“However, we have made some progress in SAA talks and we hope we will continue other steps with the same dynamics,” he said.

Kosovo is now the only country in the Western Balkans whose citizens are excluded from visa-free travel to the EU's Schengen area.

The EU lifted visas on Albania and...

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