EU commissioner on integrations and Kosovo

“EU integrations and Kosovo are separate issues, but bilateral matters should be solved in parallel with the EU integrations process,” says Stefan Fuele.

The EU enlargement commissioner said that any country intent on joining the EU must “demonstrate that it has good relations with its neighbors, based on cooperation, tolerance, and mutual understanding”.

Asked to comment on the statements heard from Serbia’s top officials, who said they would choose the defense of Kosovo over joining the EU, Fuele said that he did not believe “anyone had asked them to make that choice”.

“We wish to include the whole of the Western Balkans, and we are offering a European perspective for the whole region,” said he.

The EU commissioner also noted that the organization’s enlargement has “quality, not speed” as its dominant feature.

“Once candidate countries become ready to join, once they fulfill all membership criteria, the member-states are then invited to decide on that unanimously.”

Feule also said that Serbia made “good progress” in its EU integration bid, and said that by submitting its candidate status request, the country “proved its dedication to fulfilling the strategic goal of EU membership”.