Czech presidency outlines three EU priorities for Kosovo
The indivisibility of territory, decentralisation and participation at regional integrations are three EU priorities regarding Kosovo, Czech Minister of European Affairs Alexander Vondra said on behalf of the Czech EU Presidency on Wednesday during a debate on a draft resolution on Kosovo proposed by Dutch MEP Joost Lagendijk.
(KosovoCompromise staff) Thursday, February 05, 2009
In his address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Vondra stressed the issue of Kosovo's regional cooperation and participation in the main European processes and stressed his expectation that the European Union would some day bring Kosovo closer to the stabilisation and association process.
He also stressed that numerous challenges were to be overcome by that date, because it would be difficult for the European Union to achieve unity on Kosovo.
The Czech minister said that the division on the status of Kosovo within the European Union in no way diminished the key goals of long-term stability.
"Our main challenge in the next few months will be the full engagement of EULEX", Vondra said.
He stressed the situation in northern Kosovo, voicing his expectation that it would be difficult in the next few months and that it would be an object of constant EU attention.
On behalf of the European Commission, the MEPs were addressed by Commissioner for Consumer Affairs Meglena Kuneva, who quoted several EC programmes of assistance and stressed the special concern over the position of Roma in the lead-polluted camp in Kosovska Mitrovica.
