Brussels – It was meant to be a diplomatic move to pressure the government in Pristina into de-escalating tensions in northern Kosovo. But the “temporary and reversible” EU measures against Kosovo—which have led to the suspension of projects worth more than €600 million over the past two years— are now causing the most harm among ordinary citizens.
The country’s oldest public cinema is perhaps the most striking example of the boomerang effect these measures are having on the EU’s own credibility. “We are supposed to represent the spaces that promote European values and foster a sense of belonging to the EU. Being treated in this way runs counter to that mission, and instead breeds Euroscepticism,” said Ares Shporta, director of the Lumbardhi Foundation, in an interview with The New Union Post.
The renovation of the Lumbardhi Cinema in Prizren had already received the green light from Brussels through a grant under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). But in autumn last year, an email notified the termination of funding due to missed procurement deadlines.
Targeting projects for social engagement and cultural development in order to punish a government not only “prompts people to question the EU’s agenda, priorities, and values,” but also calls into question “the extent to which there is real alignment between the political discourse and the policies actually implemented by EU institutions,” Shporta added.
“In the wrong place at the wrong time”
Originally built as a Yugoslav cinema in 1952, Lumbardhi is the only successful example in post-war Kosovo of halting a privatisation process and redefining cultural heritage based on collective memory. In 2007, a petition gathered 8,000 signatures to prevent its privatisation, and by 2014, 58 non-profit organisations had come together to propose a new future for the site.
It became “a rare example of successful cooperation” between civil society, citizens, and public institutions, “focused not just on resisting something, but on building something new,” Shporta explained, referring to the bonds formed “between generations and people from diverse cultural, ethnic, and ideological backgrounds.” The space itself holds a complex history. Once a Yugoslav cinema, it is now recognised as part of Kosovo’s national heritage, offering “a safe and inclusive” environment with “a different approach to both history and our shared present and future.”
Due to its deteriorated condition, the building required structural reinforcement, the construction of adequate sanitary facilities, and the installation of heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems. Restorative work was also planned to preserve the cinema’s identity and transform it into a multi-purpose cultural space. This was the aim of the project included in the IPA 2020 programme—worth €800,000—which was awarded the European Heritage Award in 2022 and shortlisted for the New European Bauhaus Prize in 2023.
However, on 7 October 2024, the beneficiaries were copied in an email sent by the Head of Cooperation at the EU Office in Kosovo, Johannes Madsen, to Kosovo’s Minister of Culture. The message informed them that the EU was “obliged” to cancel the project in Prizren due to the “ongoing” measures imposed on the Government of Kosovo and the “constraints” of the contracting deadline (3 September 2024).
As Shporta made clear, “we were targeted simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.” The renovation of the Lumbardhi Cinema had entered the implementation phase just as the EU measures were introduced, with the construction tender launched only a few months earlier.
A boomerang effect for the EU
What began as “an important example of collaboration” between local, national, and European authorities—together with civil society—in a “bottom-up, democratic” effort to build an institution and restore a contested heritage site, following attempts to demolish and privatise it, has ended in a setback for the European Union. “This situation seriously damaged the local community’s trust in the EU itself,” Shporta said.
After 2014, the project became a flagship for EU investment in cultural heritage and youth in the country. For the community in Prizren, “the EU felt like a vital partner in transforming local activism into a success story.” But then, “it was all cut off—by a simple administrative email,” Shporta noted. “It was a real blow to our community.”
He believes “it was both administratively and legally possible” for the EU to prevent this outcome, but “they chose not to,” presumably to penalise the government. “It was not the government that was punished, but us—the civil society and the local community in Prizren.”
For all these reasons, the Lumbardhi Foundation is “no longer interested” in seeking EU funding, “nor do we need it,” director Shporta pointed out. The project is now being implemented by Kosovo’s Ministry of Culture, with the contract signed and work already underway. “Even if that weren’t the case, we would have sought funding elsewhere,” he added, describing the whole process as “a waste of time.” Despite the withdrawal of EU support, is finally on track to be restored. “Realistically, I believe it will reopen in summer 2027,” Shporta concluded with determination.
The overall impact of the EU measures against Kosovo
Since Kosovo’s birth in 2008 until 2020, the European Union has contributed over €1.5 billion, representing a key partner in the country’s economic, political, and institutional development. However, following the tensions in northern Kosovo, the EU introduced “temporary and reversible” measures against Kosovo on 28 June 2023, which have negatively affected bilateral diplomatic relations, as well as financial support.
These financial measures have been particularly severe. Funding through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) has been frozen, while Pristina’s proposals under the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) are currently not being considered by the WBIF Management Board.
An analysis by the GAP Institute for Advanced Studies revealed that the financial and developmental impact amounts to approximately €613.4 million. Of this, €7.1 million has already been irretrievably lost due to the expiration of procedural deadlines, including the project for the renovation of Lumbardhi Cinema in Prizren.
While the European Commission refuses to provide answers on the announced “gradual, conditional and reversible” lifting of the measures, “there is a risk of losing even more funding, as some agreements are set to expire,” warned Rrona Zhuri, Research Coordinator at the GAP Institute, speaking to The New Union Post. Specifically, if the measures are not lifted by November, the entire €32 million allocated under the IPA 2020 agreement could be forfeited.
