Kosovo leaders urge EU to lift punitive sanctions on country

PRISTINA, Kosovo / ISTANBUL

Kosovo’s leadership on Monday called on the EU to lift punitive sanctions imposed on the country since 2023.

President Vjosa Osmani and Prime Minister Albin Kurti made the call in the capital Pristina during separate meetings with Peter Sorensen, the EU’s special representative for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.

During his visit to the capital, Sorensen met with Osmani, Kurti, and First Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi, who oversees European integration, development, and dialogue.

According to the Kosovo Prime Ministry, Kurti urged Sorensen to push for the immediate removal of what he described as “unjust punitive measures” the EU imposed on Kosovo.

Osmani also addressed the issue following her meeting with Sorensen.

On X, she said that in the meeting with Sorensen, they discussed "Kosovo’s European path, the dialogue with Serbia, and regional security."

"The unjust measures against our country don’t just hold us back – they hold back the very principles the EU stands for. It’s time to turn the page, to recognize Kosovo’s progress, and to move together toward a stronger, united Europe," she added.

Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Kurti, Sorensen said discussions focused on ways to advance the dialogue process between Kosovo and Serbia.

He added that he plans to visit Serbia soon and that his priority is to facilitate discussions between representatives from both sides, noting that any potential agreements will ultimately be decided by the two Balkan neighbors.

The EU imposed sanctions on Kosovo in 2023, citing the country’s failure to take sufficient steps to de-escalate tensions in the country’s north, where the country’s ethnic Serb minority is concentrated. The measures primarily restrict Kosovo’s access to EU funding in certain areas.

Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia stem from the fact that Belgrade considers Pristina, which declared independence in 2008, its own territory. A host of countries such as Türkiye and the US recognize Kosovo’s independence.

The EU-mediated Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, launched in 2011, aims to normalize relations and ultimately lead to mutual recognition between the two countries.