Kosovo to press EU membership claims during Ireland's presidency

Kosovo’s deputy prime minister said — Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain — do not recognise Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008

Helen McEntee: 'Ireland remains a strong supporter of Kosovo’s path to EU accession, as well as its membership bid for the Council of Europe.'

Ireland's EU presidency is a chance to support Kosovo's EU accession, the country's deputy prime minister says.

Kosovo is one of several Balkan countries seeking EU membership and is currently deemed a “potential candidate”. The European Commission said in its most recent report that progress towards accession had slowed over the past year.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner during a visit to Dublin, Kosovo’s deputy prime minister and foreign affairs and diaspora minister, Glauk Konjufca, said he hoped Ireland’s EU presidency, which begins in July, would provide a platform to advance his country’s application.

"We are more than happy that this responsibility will be on Ireland's shoulders," he said. "It's good news, because we know what kind of progressive ideas Ireland always has towards EU completion as a political project, as a project of values.

"Ireland was always keen on EU enlargement. Ireland was always expressing this ideal, this envisioning of the EU as completed precisely by including all of the Western Balkan six (countries) into the European family.

"That's why, I think that it's very important that Ireland is taking the presidency from the first of July and we are here to express our willingness to co-operate together. Because the most important thing is to treat the application of Kosovo, which is waiting for four years now, seriously."

Mr Konjufca said the slow progress was due in part to the fact that five EU member states — Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain — do not recognise Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008. 

He said relations with those countries were formal, but that there needed to be a “decoupling” of Kosovo’s relationship with Serbia from the EU accession process.

"Recognition will come sooner or later, but the accession cannot be blocked at the very first step," he said. "I would say that the best thing to serve this ideal of completion of Europe is by giving Kosovo a questionnaire during Ireland's presidency and removing all doubts."

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Following a meeting with Mr Konjufca, foreign affairs minister Helen McEntee said that progressing EU enlargement "will be at the centre of our presidency".

"Ireland remains a strong supporter of Kosovo’s path to EU accession, as well as its membership bid for the Council of Europe. I hope that Kosovo will see greater political certainty in the period ahead, which is essential for meaningful progress,” said Ms McEntee.

• Paul Hosford is deputy political editor of the Irish Examiner