The outgoing EU Special Envoy for Kosovo Samuel Žbogar says that his aim was to assist in promoting a peaceful, democratic and multi-ethnic Kosovo and in this sense he is leaving the position pleased.

He, however, says in an interview for daily Jedinstvo, that there are still a lot of open issues for the multi-ethnic Kosovo, but that the EU sees the multi-ethnic Kosovo as the only possible variant of Kosovo and is working to strengthen it.

Kosovo’s Minister for European Integration, Bekim Çollaku, met today with the outgoing Special Representative of the European Union and head of the EU Office in Kosovo, Samuel Zbogar. Çollaku thanked Zbogar for his contribution and tireless work in promoting the European agenda for Kosovo. Çollaku also said that cooperation and the work done over the last couple of years culminated with the signing of the Stabilisation/Association Agreement and the visa liberalisation recommendation for Kosovo.

President of the Serbian List Slavko Simić met with outgoing Head of the EU Office in Kosovo SamueI Žbogar. The talks focused on support of the EU office to the Serbian community, when it comes to economic and infrastructure development, as well as the activities of MPs of the Serbian List, the current draft of the Law on the Census of the population in the north of Kosovo and the process of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

The European Union Special Representative to Kosovo, Samuel Žbogar, told Klan Kosova that the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) has succeeded in combating crime and corruption, while referring to cases of former PDK MP Azem Syla and Prizren Mayor Ramadan Muja.  While Syla was arrested last month and is currently in detention for organized crime accusations, Ramadan Muja continues to be the Mayor of Prizren.  Žbogar said that politicians who have problems with the law should leave politics.

The European Union Special Representative, Samuel Zbogar, has only ten more weeks left in Kosovo. His mandate, given on 25 January 2012, by the then EU High Representative for Foreign Policies, Catherine Ashton, is due on 31 August. However, the EU Office in Kosovo was not able to give more details on who is going to inherit Zbogar’s position or if his mandate would be extended. “The news about the decision on his successor will be announced by Federica Mogherini", replied the EU information office.

Head of the European Union Office in Kosovo, Samuel Zbogar, said that the Stabilization Association Agreement is both politically and economically important and it shows clearly the European perspective of Kosovo. Zbogar made these comments during a round table for the SAA. “We want functioning of the rule of law a functional assembly without compromise towards corruption. SAA will create conditions for investments. It will create new jobs,” Zbogar said. He added however that SAA is not only an economic agreement.

Kosovo’s European Integration Minister Bekim Collaku met today with the EU Special Representative and head of EU Office in Kosovo Samuel Zbogar and discussed preparations for the upcoming visit of EU experts for the assessment of the visa liberalization criteria implementation. Collaku said relevant Kosovo institutions are well-prepared to address all concerns of the EU experts.

Several Kosovo-based news sites publish today and op-ed by Samuel Zbogar, Head of EU Office in Kosovo/EU Special Representative, originally published in the European Western Balkans web portal.

Kosovo has a clear European perspective and recent events prove it. When I came to Kosovo in 2012, two important processes started between the EU and Kosovo: discussions on concluding the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) and a roadmap on visa liberalisation.

The head of the EU Office in Kosovo and EU Special Representative, Samuel Zbogar, said today that he is concerned about the current political crisis in Kosovo. "Political stability is a prerequisite for economic development, visa liberalization, the normalization process and the implementation of European reforms and the SAA," he said. "We believe Kosovo has reached a stage where it must prove that it is able to deal with these issues.

The European Union Office in Kosovo issued a statement commending the meeting President Atifete Jahjaga held today with the representatives of the main political parties of Kosovo. The EU High Representative Samuel Zbogar said that complex political differences cannot be solved in a single meeting but it is important for the leaders to continue to operate in a European way of solving problems through dialogue and compromise. “There is no alternative to dialogue,” Zbogar said.