KOSOVO’S GOVERNMENT should follow words with deeds to show it is committed to tackling high-level corruption, the EU’s special representative to Kosovo said yesterday.
Speaking at Dublin’s Institute of International and European Affairs, Pieter Feith noted that the most recent EU progress report on Kosovo raised “significant” concerns about corruption.
Addressing graft levels was crucial, not only in terms of improving Kosovo’s image to attract investment, but also to meet public expectations within the country, Mr Feith argued.
“People in Kosovo feel that insufficient steps have been taken and they expect more to be done,” he said.
“We note that there have been good statements but words need to be followed by deeds . . . we would hope that in the coming months some important steps can be taken in this regard.”
The International Court of Justice is expected to issue a ruling this year on the legality of Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence.
Mr Feith said there was “some trepidation, some anticipation, maybe at times some nervousness” about the ruling in Kosovo and Serbia because “there is a lot at stake” for both.
“The viability of the independence project is now coming to a critical test, and [Kosovo] hopes that the ruling will at least be balanced, and have so many positive elements in it, that [it] can obtain further recognition and better access to international organisations, which can help overall socio-economic development,” he said.
Given that both Kosovo and Serbia aspire to join the EU, there needs to be more engagement between the two. “I think many ministers in the EU are a bit concerned that we haven’t seen the type of turn that we would all look forward to,” Mr Feith said. “Perhaps it is still too early and this will have to wait until after the court’s verdict but it is now time to start thinking about a different future.”