Soltes: Some EU countries for visa liberalisation still have time to obey

Slovenian Eurodeput comments follow statements from several European Union officials that lifting visas for Kosovo citizens may take longer than expected. The expectations were that visa liberalisation would get the green light in December of this year, but that skeptical voices within the EU have recently increased over this possibility.

However, he hopes this issue will be on the agenda of the Council of Ministers in December this year.

There is no doubt that until then there is still time to convince member states of the importance of ensuring Kosovo and its citizens, for the possibility of visa liberalisation”, Soltes said.

This is necessary since it was also part of the conditions the EU had asked for from Kosovo and which have been fulfilled on its part”, he stressed.

The ongoing “Process, which was initially approved by the European Commission and the European Parliament, now remains with the Council of Ministers to fulfil its”, Soltes stressed.

Kosovo had the largest number of criteria to be met to be included in the Schengen Zone, meaning the area of free visa-free movement within the EU. Among the key conditions, Kosovo had ratification of the Agreement with Montenegro for demarcation of the border and the criterion of fighting organised crime and corruption. Both of these criteria, according to the European Commission, have been met this year.

But despite this fact, several EU countries, including Germany, France and the Netherlands, have expressed their reservations to support visa removal for Kosovo citizens.

However, it is expected to be seen whether the Council of Ministers will include the decision-making for visa liberalisation in the coming month.

In early December, the EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Good Neighbor, Johannes Hahn, is expected to remain in Pristina too, when even a little can be clarified if this process is completed this year.