Still without liberalising visas, comes warning about how they can be suspended

In the presence of Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, chief of the EU office in Kosovo, Nataliya Apostolova, German Ambassador Christian Heldt, and Minister of Integrations, Gift Hoxha, has launched the new phase of the visa liberalisation campaign.

This campaign, aimed at accessing citizens with relevant information about what it is and what is not visa liberalisation, was launched with very pessimistic tones, both from Apostolova and Haradinaj.

Both reminded Kosovo citizens that unless there is a deadline for liberalisation -- this process could be suspended, even if it is won.

Apostolova called on Kosovo leaders not to rush to “the delivery of artificial terms”, about liberalisation. Although he did not deny the good work of institutions.

Allow me to say very clearly, that we have not reached the goal yet, the final decision has not been made, and now it is up to the Council and member states and the European Parliament to decide on this proposal. At this stage, unfortunately we cannot predict when such a decision will be made, so we want to advise the leadership of Kosovo to have patience and avoid raising large expectations with artificial deadlines that will later not be met”, she said.

The EU chief said that unless visa requirements are respected or criteria can be suspended.

“If there is systematic abuse of the visa-free regime, or there is a deterioration of the situation, or no requirements are met, the guides, the visa-free regime can be suspended, there will be regular annual assessment for meeting all visa liberalisation requirements in the dialogue after the visa removal. Until Kosovo aims to reach the final positive visa decision, I see this campaign as an important tool to communicate clearly with Kosovo citizens, not only for the process, but also for what they have to expect in terms of rights and obligations from a visa-free regime”, Apostolova said.

Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said the right of movement comes with responsibility that citizens are good to know.

This is a non- easy job, visa liberalisation, even when given, can then be sanctioned, so there is the possibility that even after agreeing to visa liberalisation, I was upset with any member country could propose suspension, freeze, removal, whatever else. So we should not neglect our responsibility on this subject. I beg you to really reach all the citizens, so as much as possible to know that with visa liberalisation, that is, freedom of movement, that we are free citizens, that we are Europe, that we are, we are, we are, we are, we are, we are, we are, we will be, it's a privilege, it's a possibility, everything, but there is commitment, and it must be implemented correctly, so all the legal obligations that has the Schengen movement for citizens of a country as in our case, which is Kosova”, said the first executive.

Integration Minister Gifted Hoxha said the visa liberalisation process has been challenging for both institutions and the EU

“Now we are a step closer to visa liberalisation, and the latest challenge will be voting in the council. Of course, we will not stop working on receiving positive recommendation. The reforms will definitely continue with an even more intensity, the next challenge is the member states we're working with intensively, we've taken steps to address the eventual woes of each member state separately. We have strengthened legislation for foreigners, border security, migration, adapting it to European standards”, Hoxha said.

And German professor Christian Heldt said that in this decision-making process, patience is required until the outcome.

Kosovo has come a long way from which it has been, now we are in the final phase of the visa liberalisation process, as it was said. Member states are currently analyzing the progress Kosovo has achieved, following the commission's recommendation, LIBE. Please be sure this will be a fair but strict assessment. I seek patience for this process, which is now taking place in the capitals of the Schengen region, to respect the assessment and autonomous decision of each government, of each member state. I think it is in the interest of the Republic of Kosovo that this detailed assessment leads to the result that we all hope to, which is visa-free travel”, Heldt said.

Ambassador Heldt added that this campaign is vital for this process, citing that the awareness campaign is the requirement of EU states.