Deputy Director, Wider Europe
Western Balkans and eastern neighbourhood; democracy promotion; EU enlargement; security and protracted conflicts
Albanian, English, French, Italian
Tefta Kelmendi is the deputy director for the Wider Europe programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
Kelmendi’s research centres on EU policy in the eastern neighbourhood and the Western Balkans, with a particular focus on EU enlargement and democracy promotion. It also incorporates security issues and protracted conflicts in the Western Balkans and select countries within the eastern neighbourhood.
Prior to joining ECFR, Kelmendi served as a diplomat at the Kosovo embassy in France, where she was responsible for Kosovo’s relations with French-speaking countries, Kosovo’s international recognition, and its integration in international organisations. She has previous experience working with the Ministry of European Integration in Kosovo on human rights policies, with a particular focus on minority rights and integration. Kelmendi holds a master’s degree in international security from Sciences Po – Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA).
Albania has begun talks to become an EU member state. Successful accession could restore credibility in the enlargement process for Western Balkan and eastern European candidate countries – while offering enhanced political and economic stability for Albania
Barely a month after Georgian Dream declared victory in a contested and undemocratic election, Georgia’s European future hangs by a thread. The EU must act decisively to prevent its slide towards Moscow
Mark Leonard welcomes Tefta Kelmendi and Nicu Popescu to discuss what the EU can learn from the recent elections in Georgia and Moldova
With EU enlargement back on the agenda, democracy promotion in candidate countries is a key geopolitical interest for the bloc. The EU’s previous efforts to promote democracy in the Western Balkans and eastern neighbourhood may hold valuable lessons for the years ahead
That EU enlargement is a geopolitical imperative is no longer in doubt. But to make enlargement happen, the EU may need to decouple bilateral disputes from the accession process
The Kosovo Specialist Chambers aims to bring justice to victims of war crimes committed during the Kosovo war. But so far, it is causing controversy and could complicate reconciliation efforts
Leaders in Kosovo and Serbia need to dial back the nationalist rhetoric and prepare their populations for concessions – and the EU’s role in this process remains indispensable
Turkey’s strength in the Black Sea may have persuaded Russia to return to the Ukraine grain export deal. But the agreement also lends another string to its bow
Most Europeans now support Ukraine’s accession to the EU. Yet the union’s energy, economic, and security policies will need to address public fears if it is to sustain this support
The EU needs to convince Serbia’s newly re-elected president that his country must choose between European integration and subservience to Russia
With EU enlargement back on the agenda, democracy promotion in candidate countries is a key geopolitical interest for the bloc. The EU’s previous efforts to promote democracy in the Western Balkans and eastern neighbourhood may hold valuable lessons for the years ahead
Young diplomats in Eastern Partnership countries are optimistic and pro-European. Many of them want the EU to become a bolder geopolitical actor
Albania has begun talks to become an EU member state. Successful accession could restore credibility in the enlargement process for Western Balkan and eastern European candidate countries – while offering enhanced political and economic stability for Albania
Barely a month after Georgian Dream declared victory in a contested and undemocratic election, Georgia’s European future hangs by a thread. The EU must act decisively to prevent its slide towards Moscow
That EU enlargement is a geopolitical imperative is no longer in doubt. But to make enlargement happen, the EU may need to decouple bilateral disputes from the accession process
The Kosovo Specialist Chambers aims to bring justice to victims of war crimes committed during the Kosovo war. But so far, it is causing controversy and could complicate reconciliation efforts
Leaders in Kosovo and Serbia need to dial back the nationalist rhetoric and prepare their populations for concessions – and the EU’s role in this process remains indispensable
Turkey’s strength in the Black Sea may have persuaded Russia to return to the Ukraine grain export deal. But the agreement also lends another string to its bow
Most Europeans now support Ukraine’s accession to the EU. Yet the union’s energy, economic, and security policies will need to address public fears if it is to sustain this support
The EU needs to convince Serbia’s newly re-elected president that his country must choose between European integration and subservience to Russia
Georgia is caught in a vicious circle of polarisation and state capture. The EU should respond by explicitly linking support for the Georgian government to its implementation of concrete reforms and anticorruption initiatives
A new EUROVAX scheme should be at the heart of the EU’s new offer to help its neighbours tackle covid-19 in the years ahead
Mark Leonard welcomes Tefta Kelmendi and Nicu Popescu to discuss what the EU can learn from the recent elections in Georgia and Moldova
Tefta Kelmendi on current situation in Georgia
International partners can address the formation of the Association of Serb Municipalities by adopting a balanced approach toward Kosovo and providing assurances regarding its sovereignty
Tefta Kelmendi on Kosovo’s relations with international partners
The EU has lacked the drive in Georgia and Moldova to stand up to Moscow’s manoeuvres. It has been weak in its rather passive response
Tefta Kelmendi analyses the EU’s response to Russian influence in Moldova and Georgia
The EU needs to better communicate on the benefits it can bring. In the face of Russian interference, it must find creative and legal ways of taking a stronger foothold
Tefta Kelmendi after the elections in Moldova and Georgia disappointed the hopes of the pro-European parties
The election results were disappointing but expected, a consequence of an uneven electoral process and a severe imbalance of resources between Georgian Dream and the opposition
Tefta Kelmendi on Georgia elections results
