Kosovo seeks release of EU funds, Zulfaj: Without parliamentary obstacles, we would lead the region

Kosovo has submitted its first official request for the disbursement of funds from the European Union’s Reform and Growth Facility. The request includes reforms completed by June 30.

The news was announced by Jeton Zulfaj, Kosovo’s chief negotiator with the EU and National Coordinator for the Reform and Growth Facility. He said the documentation was submitted within the stipulated deadline.

According to Zulfaj, the request includes all completed measures envisaged under the Reform Agenda, including those finalised ahead of schedule.

The European Union will have three months to review the evidence submitted by Kosovo, after which a decision will be made on releasing the funds.

The application does not include six reform steps that were not completed by the deadline due to the dysfunction of the Assembly, he said.

“Five of them involved laws that had to pass through the Assembly, while one was a step that the caretaker government could not approve,” Zulfaj stated.

He stressed that the parliamentary blockade has harmed not only the pace of reform implementation, but also access to EU funds intended for Kosovo’s development and integration.

“If the Assembly had been functional, all the steps would have been completed on time. Had we not faced the blockade in the Assembly, Kosovo would lead the region in fulfilling reforms,” Zulfaj wrote.

According to him, the outstanding steps will be submitted to the new legislature as soon as it is constituted.

Zulfaj announced that Kosovo’s next request for the release of funds is expected to be submitted on January 15, 2027. By the end of this year, institutions must complete dozens of other reform steps.

The EU Reform and Growth Facility was created to assist Western Balkan countries by financing reforms linked to economic development and European integration.