02 June – Secondary school Ruzhdi Berisha in Dragash/Dragas

“Hard work and strong commitment are necessary for Kosovo to prepare for European integration, but EU is here to help”

Sabine Erkens, Legal Advisor from ICO gave a lecture in secondary school Ruzhdi Berisha in Dragash/Dragas, in the presence of Deputy Minister for Education Usmen Baldzi. She started her lecture by sharing her personal experience with the European Union - studying and working in different countries of the European Union had led her to understand the importance of the Union but also its diversity.

Sabine Erkens then offered the students to ask questions on specific issues they may want to know more about. Most of the questions the students asked were on visa liberalization, to which Sabine Erkens answered that the process was based on objective criteria that needed to be fulfilled. She reminded them that the institutions of Kosovo and of every potential candidate to European integration need to be brought up to European standards before they can join the EU.

Some students also wanted to discuss the challenges that Kosovo faces today and how the European Union could help in overcoming these issues. Mrs. Erkens said the integration process was a long one as Kosovo will need to translate what is called the “acquis communautaire” in its own legislation, that is to say more than 90 000 pages of laws. But she insisted on the fact that the EU is strongly committed to Kosovo’s European future and is currently acting through the presences of the EUSR office, the EULEX rule of law mission and the European Commission Liaison Office.

In conclusion, Sabine Erkens reminded the students that the first goal of the European Union was to provide for security and stability in Europe. It is still a major point in the Union’s enlargement process which is of importance for the Western Balkans region which has been at war for a long time. The main goal of the EU is to make its members closer to one another so that war will become inconceivable.