Kosovo leaders sign application request to join EU

By ERION XHABAFTI and LLAZAR SEMINI
Associated Press

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Kosovo’s leaders on Wednesday signed a formal application seeking the status of candidate for membership in the European Union. The signing Wednesday comes amid a long-lasting dispute with neighboring Serbia, which immediately called on the bloc to cancel its process. Kosovo’s president, speaker and prime minister formally signed the application letter which which they intend to hand over Thursday to Czechia, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency. Serbia reacted with anger to Kosovo’s EU application and officials said they will ask five EU states which have not recognized Kosovo’s independence from Serbia, plus Hungary, to block the initiative in Brussels.