PRISTINA – For Kosovo, the road is clear, and that is EU membership, said Minister of European Integration of Kosovo, Dhurata Hoxha, in the seminar “The Importance of Foreign and Security Policy, Orientation of aspirant countries with EU CFSP: Challenges and Opportunities”.
“We are aware that the process is challenging and requires a lot of work and reforms that need to be undertaken and the Government of Kosovo has expressed its commitment to push this path forward,” said Minister Hoxha, and further added that she strongly believes that most important point where the European Union should focus in its foreign policy is the enlargement process.
“The involvement of more countries in the European family will enable such countries to achieve not only reforms in the economy but also to strengthen the democracy and the rule of law. The EU enlargement policy should be seen as a mechanism to make the EU family more complete and more stable. In this regard, we expect that EU institutions to provide a clear path for Kosovo and for other Western Balkan countries to the EU perspective. The EU should consider enlargement as an opportunity to unite all European countries, as at this stage the unity seems more important than ever,” said Minister Hoxha.
Hoxha stressed that we are aware of the many challenges that EU faces, showing us that the work of the EU institutions is multi-dimensional. Clearly, the EU should focus more on strengthening its common foreign and security policy.
While talking about strengthening the rule of law in Kosovo, the Minister has pointed out that strengthening of the rule of law and internal security is the main task of Kosovo in particular and of the countries of the Western Balkans in general.
“Only by strengthening internal security we can hope for more effective cooperation between the EU countries and the Western Balkans in the fight against terrorism and organized crime”, she said.
“In this process there are many challenges and opportunities, Kosovo and EU institutions need to work together to overcome the challenges and to use opportunities starting with the EU, by re-emphasizing Kosovo’s EU perspective as the only way forward”, stated at the end Hoxha.