Prishtina and Brussels discuss employment, cultural heritage and digitalisation of Kosovo

Samuel Žbogar, the Head of the EU Office in Kosovo and EU Special Representative said:

“SAP Dialogue Sectorial meetings are the best way to assess concrete improvements in Kosovo legislation and key policies. The EU will insist and help in necessary creation of new jobs, especially for the youth, on further strengthening of the integration of communities and the modernisation of the audio-visual sector.”

In the field of information society, the meeting has focused on the improvements needed in the field of digitalisation. Kosovo has to prepare everything for the “digital switch-over” in the year of 2015. The role of the Ministry for Economic Development in finalising the law, politically independent expertise of the Independent Media Council and sufficient funding are crucial elements for the success of this process.

The SAP Dialogue meetings are organised together with the Ministry for European Integration.

Vlora Çitaku, Minister for European Integration, said:

“We are very much aware that through this process we can prove to our European partners the necessary improvements we have made. We do not do that in order to please somebody, but because these subjects are particularly important for Kosovo’s European future.”

As always, the civil society was consulted on all major topics before the meeting.

The European Union will continue to discuss issues in these areas with the Kosovo authorities throughout 2013. The meetings will contribute to setting priorities for the Kosovo future, especially in the fields of employment and labour market, social dialogue, audiovisual policy and protection of cultural heritage.