Currently we are not a part of the European Union, though we do receive charitable funding from them. The European Union seems more concerned with policing social issues and making member countries all conform to some "European" ideal instead of uniting governments.

Any steps forward that Kosovo makes on the path that has been laid out for them for citizenship is constantly hindered by the tense situation with Serbia. I feel that the tensions between the two countries are only elevated by the constant attention and by the EU trying to force a relationship that neither country is ready for.

It has taken 25 years alone for Kosovo citizens to finally be granted the right to visit European Union countries without going through a months to years long and extremely expensive visa process. Finally in January of 2024 this is supposed to change. Currently they sre trapped within a block of a few countries here in the Balkans (Albania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Turkey all have free or inexpensive visa access) and couldn't easily visit the rest of Europe.

As an outsider from America, it often looks to me like the European Union deals with the poorer and less populated (and often with a substantial non-Christian population) Balkan countries (Kosovo, Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro) as "red-headed step-children". These countries have real issues that stem from years of being used as pawns in the anti-Ottoman Empire, WWII (from both sides), and Anti-Russia games and now the EU just wants them to go away and not be such a bother anymore because they don't conform to unspoken EU cultural standards.

Unfortunately, this all leads to Balkan countries been kept decades behind the rest of Europe. A fact that is rarely talked about in the media since it is, and rightfully should be, an embarrassment.

Thank you so much for your comment and for reading!