Kosovo has lost an estimated €43.8 million in EU Growth Plan funding after missing a reform deadline on 30 June.
A prolonged political crisis for the European nation has prevented Kosovo from adopting several required reforms. The country must complete another 22 reform steps by the end of the year or risk losing an additional €131.5 million in EU funding.
The setbacks highlight the financial consequences of Kosovo’s political deadlock as it struggles to meet Brussels’ reform requirements.
The Kosovon government suggests that internal actors and external pressures on the country are deliberately scuppering their chances of joining the EU. Pointing to Ukraine and Serbia as the main external factors funding chaos in the country.
Serbia refuses to acknowledge the existence of Kosovo and despite newly elected people and its own EU aspirations, the country refuses to make any ammendments to that policy.
In October Deputy Director-General Olivier Onidi was in Pristina. Meeting with the Kosovo authorities and EU agencies, he is reviewing cooperation on migration, borders and internal security, and informing them of the consequences of failure.