Ratification of demarcation does not bring visa liberalisation

Days ago, Tanja Fajon, reporting on visa liberalisation for Kosovo, in an email response to Online Economy, has reiterated that lifting the visa regime is in the hands of Kosovo authorities. Fajon said the criteria are clear and that he expects the new leaders to serve the interests of citizens rather than personal ones.

In addition to fighting crime and corruption, the ratification of the demarcation agreement with Montenegro remains the incomplete criteria. The deal had a contradiction between the opposition position, but even if it was reached for this agreement to be passed into the assembly, it is no guarantee that the visas will be removed.

Arton Demhay, executive director of the organisation Get up in an interview for Online Economics, says that following ratification of the agreement, it opens the way to continuing the process towards liberalisation, but not even lifting visas for a period of time.

The “must ratify the agreement, but it still does not mean that at the moment the agreement is automatically ratified Kosovo has to be visa-free. This will only tell me that Kosovo has begun or fulfilled the preconditions the European Union has assigned. The EU through various institutions discusses issues and decides whether Kosovo should or not be removed visas. So the agreement is only a prerequisite for continuing the process away in terms of visa liberalisation”, he has clarified.

Although the agreement has been rejected since the signing in various forms by the opposition, Demhaje says there has been no internal consensus to reach a sustainable solution.

According to him, agreement with Montenegro must be forwarded to the Assembly, then remains to this institution that it decides on ratification or not.

If no ratification occurs, he proposes that the new government, along with the neighbouring state, begin negotiations on finding a solution with the possibility of the agreement being sent to the Arbitrazhi Court as well.

This agreement must definitely be passed to the Parliament and then the Parliament gives its word whether it wants to ratify the deal as such or reject me. If the agreement is rejected then, the state of Kosovo, the Government of Kosovo, is tasked with starting negotiations with Montenegro. If they don't have an agreement then two states can, after a consensus that the case was sent to the Court of Arbitrazhi”, Demhasaj said.

The European Commission has given formal recommendation for abolishing visas for Kosovo. After Kosovo institutions meet the specific conditions the European Union Council puts in place the interior ministers of qualified member states must say yes to liberalisation.

The same should be done by the European Parliament so that Kosovars do not need visas when traveling for short stays of up to 90 days in EU member states.