15 minutes agoIf visas are not removed there may be destabilisation, says Igor Sholtes
Periskopi(8 years ago)
(8 years ago)The rapporteur for Kosovo in the European Parliament, Igor Sholtes, has said the European Union should give the green light for visa liberalisation for Kosovo as a sign of mutual confidence, on the contrary it says there may be some kind of destabilisation. He has also confirmed that there are EU member states which [...]
He has also confirmed that there are EU member states, which are sceptical about abolishing the visa regime for Kosovo and says hard work must be worked hard to convince Kosovars deserve to move without visas as soon as possible.
Recent days in Kosovo have added speculation that the visa liberalisation process for Kosovo could be delayed, even despite numerous promises that this will happen within this year.
The rapporteur for Kosovo in the European Parliament Igor Sholtes has confirmed this. He has acknowledged that there is no consensus within the EU for abolishing visas for Kosovo citizens.
“We cannot deceive ourselves and say there is clear consensus on EU member states, and say they are all on the same side as the visa liberalisation process for Kosovo”, Schltes has said.
As a result, Sholtes says a major commitment is needed to convince these sceptical states that Kosovars deserve to move without visas.
This is why there is much work to be done to convince EU member states that are skeptical, that Kosovo deserves visa liberalisation, and that this should be based on the Council. Powerful arguments and facts should be exploited as to why Kosovo and the Kosovo people deserve the removal of the 911 visa regime, he added.
He says they are working hard to get Kosovo visa liberalisation as soon as possible, saying that such a thing would have to happen as a sign of mutual trust, as he says otherwise there might be some kind of destabilisation.
The European Parliament and I are really working hard for Kosovo to receive visa liberalisation as soon as possible. The European Commission and the European Parliament have also given the green light, clearly confirming that Kosovo has met all criteria required for visa liberalisation. I am hoping that EU member states will understand the need for Kosovo to remove the visa regime, which would also be a matter of virtue to be done. At the same time, it would be a sign of mutual trust between Kosovo and the EU, which is very welcome and necessary. No one wants to have any kind of destabilisation due to a lack of trust between the two sides” has posted Sholtes in a response to the Express Journal.
However, Sholtes is fully convinced that visa liberalisation for Kosovo will occur within this year.
Since Austria is currently leading the European Union presidency, the issue of visa liberalisation on the Council of Europe is expected to be initiated by Austrians.
In the response given by Ambassador Marschik, it is said that currently the visa liberalisation issue is being discussed at the level of experts, then it will pass even to the ambassadorial level, and depending on the outcome of these discussions, it will be decided whether to be pushed forward as a matter at the Council of Ministers.
The green light for visa liberalisation for Kosovo days earlier had given the European Parliament. Also on the Jashmte Committee of Work (AFET), the 2018 Kosovo report had overwhelmingly approved. Sholtes after that vote had said that vote is a very good sign that Kosovo is very close to visa liberalisation.
Yesterday's Minister for European Integration, Gifts Hoxha, had said the visa liberalisation process for Kosovo could be postponed. During the day she had held different meetings with senior EU officials, with whom she had discussed the visa liberalisation issue.
