Kosovo is still locked out of the EU ten years after declaring independence

As Kosovo prepared to celebrate in February 2018 the ten-year anniversary of its declaration of independence, it was hit with a bitter blow: on 6 February 2018, the European Commission released its strategy for the accession of the Western Balkans, which made it clear that Kosovo’s prospects of joining the EU were remote.

Reeling from high unemployment, perennial corruption and a series of recent crises, the people of Kosovo badly needed a boost – instead the EU’s strategy delivered a slap in the face.

• Primary Source

EP: EPRS: At a Glance, January 2018: Western Balkans in the spotlight in 2018 http://www.europeansources.info/record/western-balkans-in-the-spotlight-in-2018/

European Commission: Neighbourhood - Enlargement: Enlargement: Kosovo https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/countries/detailed-country-information/kosovo_en

Politico, 16.02.18: Kosovo: A young country, being shaped by its youth https://www.politico.eu/interactive/in-pictures-kosovo-10th-anniversary-future-being-shaped-by-its-youth/

The New York Times, 15.02.18: Kosovo’s Grim Decade of Independence https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/15/world/europe/kosovo-independence-anniversary.html

Deutsche Welle, 15.02.18: Sigmar Gabriel tells Serbia it must accept Kosovo's independence to join EU http://p.dw.com/p/2sibP

ECFR: Commentary, 15.02.18: Kosovo: The need for dialogue http://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_kosovo_the_need_for_dialogue

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