Kosovo to Sign EU Stability Deal Next Week

Kosovo's Minister of European Integration, Bekim Collaku, on Wednesday said the government would sign a Stabilisation and Association Agreement, SAA, with the EU next week. "The signing will take place next week on October 27th 2015 in Strasbourg," he said.

He said that the Council of the European Union had approved the SAA between Kosovo and the EU, opening the way for the signing ceremony.

"All [our] institutions have worked extraordinarily a lot to reach this day. I want to thank them for their work during the SAA negotiations as well as our international partners for the support," said Collaku in a press release.

Collaku, who negotiated the SAA process with EU, called the agreement a turning point for Kosovo and its EU relations.

"This is a historic moment for Kosovo because for the first time it sets out contractual relations with the EU," Collaku noted.

Miroslav Lajcak, Slovakia's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, confirmed the date of Kosovo's SAA signature.

"Signature of SAA with Kosovo on 27 Oct in Strasbourg. Key step to reinforce European perspective and reminder of key challenges and reform homework," tweeted Lajcak - whose country is one of the five EU states that do not recognise the country's independence.

The benefits of the SAA for Kosovo will mainly be in the field of trade as Kosovo exports will now enjoy better access to the European market.

The EU proposed SAA negotiations with Kosovo after it signed a major agreement on the normalisation of relations with Serbia in 2012.

Kosovo is the only country in the region that has not signed an SAA with the EU.

The EU announced that when the time comes for Kosovo to sign an SAA, the procedure would be done differently - to avoid...