TIRANA, Oct. 28 – Albania has congratulated Kosovo for signing the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Union Tuesday, calling it an important step for regional integration and relations with the bloc.
“It confirms Kosovo’s European prospects, the country’s achievements in the process of state building and the road toward consolidation of democracy in the country,” said a statement of the foreign ministry.
It also said that such a moment will serve Kosovo to further its reform process and also likely reach visa-free liberalization.
The ministry also considered that good news for the regional countries “because every Kosovo’s step toward European integration consolidates peace and stability in the region, urges the policies of regional cooperation and strengthens good neighborly ties.”
Kosovo on Tuesday signed a stabilization and association agreement with the European Union, a milestone expected to promote economic growth in one of Europe’s poorest countries.
Tuesday’s signing in Strasbourg, done at the offices of EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, opens the way to eventual full membership in the EU, Kosovo’s main trading partner.
Mogherini described the signing as a “very important step that has implied a lot, a lot, of work on both sides.”
“Now it is about implementation,” said EU enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn, who will visit Kosovo next week.
Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa hoped the next step would be visa liberalization. Kosovo is the only country in the region not enjoying a visa-free regime with EU countries.
“Today we are entering into contractual arrangements with the European Union, which is a very important process for us,” Mustafa said. “We will do everything to justify this very important step that we are taking.”
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and has been recognized by more than 100 countries, including most of the EU. Five EU member countries that do not recognize its independence have, nevertheless, approved the agreement.
