Secretary General Kiril Gjozev and the Assembly member Ognen Antov represented AZAS in a series of constructive meetings with colleagues from the Kosovo CMO VAPIK, local producers, legal experts, and representatives of other CMOs from the Balkan. The discussions focused on strengthening regional coordination and building a more functional and harmonized system of collective management across the Western Balkans.

The visit was part of a broader initiative to promote cross-border collaboration, improve data and repertoire exchange, and support local producers and authors in accessing fair remuneration. Kosovo and North Macedonia share similar structural challenges in copyright enforcement, making cooperation essential for the long-term sustainability of the audiovisual industries in both countries.

Mr. Gjozev highlighted AZAS’s ongoing efforts to operationalize its full mandate and emphasized that regional solidarity is crucial, especially in the context of the multiyear delay in approving AZAS’s tariff in North Macedonia – a delay that also affects foreign authors, including those from Kosovo, Albania, Serbia, Slovenia, Montenegro whose works are widely used in the country.

“Our visit to Pristina reconfirms the importance of standing together. Kosovo’s creative community faces similar obstacles, and only through coordinated regional action can we ensure fair remuneration, transparency and respect for authors’ rights across our territories,” said AZAS Secretary General Kiril Gjozev.

Participants also reflected on the outcomes of the Skopje Regional Seminar held in November, including the adoption of the Skopje Call, asserting that the Western Balkans must align with European standards and accelerate reforms in copyright governance.

The visit deepened AZAS’s ties in Kosovo and set the groundwork for several joint initiatives expected to unfold in 2026, including capacity-building activities, experience-sharing sessions, and enhanced cooperation between CMOs, producers associations, and film institutions across the region.

AZAS expresses its gratitude to the hosts in Pristina and remains committed to building a transparent, European-aligned, and sustainable system of authors’ rights in the region.