The European Parliament liberalizes visas for Kosovo Serbs

2024-04-09 13:41:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The Commission for Civil Liberties and Internal Affairs of the European Parliament approved on Tuesday the report on the liberalization of visas for holders of Serbian passports living in the territory of Kosovo.

The report, compiled by the Slovenian MP, Matjazh Nemec, was approved with 34 votes in favor, 7 against and 12 abstentions.

Today's vote is a step towards the decision to waive visas for Serbian passport holders.

These passports are issued by the Coordinating Directorate in Belgrade, which works within the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Serbia.

The liberalization of visas for citizens who possess biometric passports of Kosovo entered into force on January 1 of this year.

The proposal to remove the visas of Serbian passport holders in Kosovo was given by the European Commission in November last year, arguing that with such a decision, all citizens of the Western Balkan region would be included in the process of visa liberalization.

In addition to the citizens of Kosovo who secured free movement this year, citizens of other countries in the region had it for more than ten years.

However, when the visas for the citizens of Serbia were removed, it was decided that the liberalization does not apply to those who have Serbian passports and who live in the territory of Kosovo.

The Government of Kosovo has criticized and opposed the proposal for their inclusion in the liberalization of visas, calling it a "violation of the territorial integrity of Kosovo" and affirming that all citizens of Kosovo, including those of Serbian ethnicity, can to be equipped with biometric passports of Kosovo.

For the Government of Kosovo, the fact that in the passports issued by the Coordinating Directorate of Serbia, residences in the territory of Kosovo are written as if they are in Serbia is problematic.

After today's vote, it is expected that the same report will be voted on in a plenary session by the entire European Parliament, which will take place from April 22 to 25.

This plenary session will also be the last in this composition of the European Parliament, since from June 6 to 9 new elections for the European Parliament will take place in the 27 EU member states.

The German reporter expressed the intention that the procedure for holders of Serbian passports in Kosovo should be carried out during this EP mandate, so that the European Council formalizes the decision and it enters into force./ CNA