Zulfaj asks Budapest to support Kosovo’s EU candidacy

During his visit to Budapest, Kosovo’s chief negotiator for dialogue with the European Union, Jeton Zulfaj, asked Hungary to support Kosovo’s bid to obtain candidate country status and begin accession negotiations with the EU.

The visit began with a meeting with Hungary’s deputy foreign minister, Laszlo Gyorgy Velkey, according to an official statement.

Zulfaj expressed gratitude for Hungary’s contribution to maintaining peace and security in Kosovo through the NATO mission, KFOR.

“Hungary is a major contributor to the mission,” he said.

During the talks, he also praised the “Stipendium Hungaricum” scholarship program, through which hundreds of students from Kosovo have pursued their studies at universities in Hungary.

A significant part of the discussions focused on Kosovo’s European integration, ahead of the publication of the European Commission’s Enlargement Package, scheduled for the end of October.

Kosovo’s chief negotiator called on Hungary to support Kosovo’s attainment of candidate status and the opening of accession negotiations with the European Union.

He stressed that enlargement should be based on the merits of each country, starting with respect for the EU’s fundamental values and alignment with its foreign policy.

According to Zulfaj, Kosovo meets these criteria through democracy, freedoms, the rule of law and the protection of human rights.

At the conclusion of the meeting, he thanked Hungary for its support and praised its engagement in the “Friends of the Western Balkans” group, calling for Budapest’s support for Kosovo’s next steps toward membership in the European Union.