Changes from report parliamentary committee draft to plenary report

The European Parliament closely follows political and socio-economic developments in Kosovo. With this report, we aim to provide Parliament’s assessment of the situation in Kosovo and, in addition to the European Commission’s 2025 Progress Report, also Parliament’s political assessment of the period under review in Kosovo. In summary, 2025 must be considered a lost year for Kosovo, as after the regular elections to the National Assembly in February, neither a legislative body nor a government could be put into operation. Although all three elections, which took place in Kosovo in 2025 - two parliamentary and one local - were all conducted peacefully and in an orderly manner, the normal political process was deeply disrupted. As a result, several political and economic reforms suffered, and the Western Balkans Growth Plan could not be implemented.

As highlighted in previous reports by the European Parliament, Kosovo has made notable strides in electoral reforms, economic resilience, and the protection of fundamental rights. However, challenges remain in judicial reform, media freedom, public administration efficiency, and the digitalization of public services. Continued commitment to comprehensive reforms and inclusive governance is essential for Kosovo’s advancement on its European integration path.

Several of Kosovo’s challenges are legacy problems, the resolution of which requires the involvement of the entire region in the broader European Union integration process. The Pristina-Belgrade dialogue, which was launched to find a compromise acceptable to the parties, has unfortunately not yielded the expected results. The dialogue was basically dormant in 2025. This was also because Kosovo lacked a government with mandate and authority and negotiations in this form have no prospects. The European Commission, as well as the European Parliament and the Member States, must certainly do everything to ensure that the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue continues with renewed vigour. The extension of the mandate of the Special Representative, Peter Sörensen, until February 2028, is therefore very welcome.

The enlargement of the European Union has been one of the EU’s most important success stories and it must continue. The broader geopolitical goal of enlargement is to eliminate the so-called grey areas from the map of Europe. The significant changes that have taken place in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine must increase the European Union’s readiness to confront competing authoritarian global players. Both Russia and China have shown that they have very clear interests in the Western Balkans.

Kosovo’s European integration is a two-way process. In order for Kosovo to carry out the necessary reforms, assistance from the European Union is necessary. Visa liberalization has further strengthened people-to-people contacts and the European perspective of Kosovo’s citizens. However, the punitive measures introduced in 2023 have had a very negative impact on Kosovo’s progress towards Europe. Although the EU measures have gradually begun to be eased, their impact on society remains very worrying. Various civil society organizations, national minorities, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises, which have received significant operating support from EU programs, are particularly affected by the measures. The measures also have a potential negative impact on the credibility of the European Union among the Kosovo population. Although support for the European Union has remained very high, there is still a risk that it may decrease as a result of the measures.

With this report, the rapporteur wishes to provide an overview and the European Parliament’s assessment of the most important achievements and challenges that Kosovo faces today and in the near future. It is certainly not possible to cover all the problematic areas and challenges in this report. One of the important prerequisites for the preparation of this report was the opportunity to visit Kosovo during a fact-finding mission and meet with civil society organisations, national minority representatives, and business representatives among others.