Visa liberalism through Albania or the EU?

Currently, for visa liberalisation for Kosovo have remained the last two criteria, respectively, the criteria for fighting corruption and for marking the border line with Montenegro.

But, on the last criterion, for marking the border line with Montenegro, Kosovo institutions have remained for two years, failing to ratify the agreement signed with Podgorica since 2015.

Given this fact and the isolation the citizens are facing, Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has recently asked his counterpart from Albania, Ilir Meta, for the Albanian state to issue citizenship to the citizens of Kosovo in order to avoid isolation, which, according to him, has put the European Union on Kosovo.

The European Union has led to a position of classical isolation Kosovo, in particular with the issue of visa liberalisation. The only hope at this moment for Kosovo citizens to move freely has remained and asked President Meta and other authorities of Albania, in line with Albania's Constitution and laws and in line with the Constitution and the laws of Kosovo, to be granted substate to Kosovo citizens”, Thaci has said.

President Thaci's request by European Law professor Emrush Ukkan is being deemed unreasonable and unfair to the state of Kosovo, respectively, for its citizens to receive passports from another state.

Kosovo is a state and as such has its aspirations to join the European Union. We do not favor the European agenda with such actions. The requirement that another state, like Albania, grant citizenship to our citizens, will now be considered by the Albanian state or not, is another matter and will not speculate. But what I can say is that Kosovo has two demands that it needs to work on and address”, Wolfan says.

In a response from the Albanian Embassy about opportunities to obtain Albanian citizenship, it is clear that the request should be addressed to the president of the Republic of Albania.

This requirement should contain the full identity of the researchers, the exact address of his permanent residence, as well as the necessary documents as birth certificates, legalised with the Kosovo Interior Ministry stamp, the seal of the Foreign Ministry and the seal of the Embassy, as well as the permission of residence in the Republic of Albania, according to the Law criteria for citizenship.

Also called for is the deed of belonging to the apartment or contract for rent. The applicant must also testify to the workplace and the financial means that should be adequate for living in this country.

The issue of visa liberalisation for Kosovo, according to European Integration Professor Avni Mazreku, is more complex than the subject of daily debates.

He emphasises that the main problem between Kosovo and EU reports is the issue of non-recognition by five EU member states, which according to him, this issue from Kosovo's foreign policy has not been taken seriously.

Mazreku adds that as long as these recognitions are missing, it cannot be claimed that Kosovo has normal reports with the European Union.

The other <x0mencing that has been extended, the question of Kosovo's request to the president of Albania to equip the citizens of Kosovo with Albanian passports, I think this demand is anachronic for the fact that we know that we have had an unpleasant history of Kosovo and passports that Kosovo citizens have been equipped. Not only the Serb minority population here, but also a considerable number of Albanian citizens who have applied for Serbian passports”, Mazreku points out.

Meanwhile, for analyst Emrush Ujkan with the logic that Kosovo avoids remaining visa liberalisation criteria and that it becomes the solution to this issue through receiving Albania's passports has major negative effects on Kosovo's integration into the European Union.

<x) That way we're not making a choice. It is not fair or proper for the state of Kosovo that its citizens aim to receive the passports of another country. It is reasonable to create a national consensus and to give the final solution (EU Criteria)”, Wolfan says.

Meanwhile, citizens surveyed by Radio Free Europe express different opinions about receiving the Albanian passport.

Blart Hoxha, a citizen from Pristina, would agree to be equipped with Albania's passport.

If I could get Albania's passport, because we are tired of moving free”, he says.

Otherwise, he says Adnan Berisha.

“Only because of liberalisation would I not receive Albania's passport. We, like Kosovo, should have liberalisation. I don't think it's Albania's passport solution”, she says.

Albania's successor now has a considerable number of citizens of Kosovo, mainly politicians, such as Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, chairman of the Visari Ymer Movement, Pristina chairman Shpend Ahmeti, Vetevendosje Movement MP Albin Kurti and some other deputies of the subject. Also equipped with this passport are businessmen and citizens of various profiles.

Meanwhile, calling to the right of duality, members of the Serb community in Kosovo have used the right to supply Serbia's documents.

Similarly, Albanian citizens from Presevo Valley who live in Kosovo have acted, but own Serbia's documents.