At the invitation of professors Odeta Barbullushi and Gentian Elezi, I met today at Europe House with a group of international students from the College of Europe (Tirana campus) who are currently on a study visit to Kosovo.
We discussed democracy, freedoms, and the European integration process.
Today, Kosovo possesses democratic institutions, free, fair, and competitive elections, an independent judiciary, a transparent government, an active civil society, and a vibrant public sphere.
Freedom of expression and media freedom are the foundations of any democracy. These are values we must protect every day. However, citizens must be able to distinguish truth from falsehood. In an era where the race is to publish the fastest and garner the most clicks, facts and in-depth analysis often fall by the wayside. Disinformation does not need to convince everyone; sowing doubt is enough.
Democracy is defended not only within institutions but also through the ways in which we stay informed, debate, and engage in argument with one another. It relies on well-informed citizens, and this is a shared responsibility—of institutions, the media, and each of us.
Kosovo is participating in the European Union’s initiative regarding the European Centre for Democratic Resilience. The “European Democracy Shield” is an initiative aimed at protecting European democracies from information manipulation and foreign interference (FIMI), as well as from digital disinformation.
We also discussed Kosovo’s EU accession process—specifically, candidate status and the opening of negotiations as the next well-deserved steps—as well as our efforts to advance this process while continuing with domestic reforms.
