Kosovo Leaders Ink Application Request to Join EU

Kosovo’s leaders signed on Wednesday a formal application seeking the status of a candidate for membership in the European Union (EU).

“This is the opening of a new chapter,” Prime Minister Albin Kurti said. “Progress will depend on our commitment to deep and transformative reforms that strengthen our democracy and economy.”

Such a move by Kosovo, the latest country in the Western Balkans to apply to join the 27-member bloc, is likely to be hard amid a long-lasting dispute with Serbia, which immediately called on the bloc to cancel the process.

It is worth noting that Kosovo is a mainly ethnic Albanian territory that declared independence from Serbia in 2008. On its part, the Serbian government refused to recognize Kosovo’s statehood and still considers it part of Serbia, even though it has no formal control there.