Deputy Minister Çelaj in Meeting with Ambassador Kelly, Grateful to Ireland for support, we need further support

Prishtina, 5 December 2018 – Deputy Minister of European Integration, Lirak Çelaj, received in a meeting the Ambassador of Ireland to Hungary, a non-resident to Kosovo, Pat Kelly, with whom he discussed about the injustice regarding the visa non liberalization, the European perspective of Kosovo and the achievements and challenges of the integration process.

Deputy Minister Çelaj thanked the Irish Ambassador for the pro-Kosovo vote in the European Parliament and Interpol, recognized by the realization of 95 conditions from the visa liberalization roadmap for the citizens of Kosovo.

“We are disappointed because of visa non liberalization. However, we are strongly committed to the integration process. We have a national consensus for this process, by implementing with priority the European Reform Agenda and the Stabilization and Association Agreement “, stressed Mr. Çelaj, adding that we have no other alternative but to integrate with European values.

Free movement is a value that our citizens need to have, in particular it is important for our young people, stressed Mr. Çelaj, noting the risks that isolation brings to our youth and the possibility of the negative impact by global powers that were unfriendly in the past with the region.

The Ambassador of Ireland Pat Kelly, praised the progress achieved in Kosovo, the achievement of 95 roadmap conditions and the integration perspective for the six Western Balkan countries. He stressed that the changes expected next year in European institutions may bring some difficulties, although he reiterated that Ireland fully supports the visa liberalization for Kosovo’s citizens, integration into international organizations and integration processes, highlighting the tremendous positive changes that the integration process brought to his country.

The meeting also underlined the importance of dialogue, good neighborly relations and the elections with common interest and the region.

The so far Kosovo-Ireland cooperation was also highly praised, as well as the willingness to deepen this cooperation, agreeing that Kosovo can receive some of the integration experiences from this amicable country, which is among the countries with the highest quality of life in the European Union.

Last modified: August 8, 2022