4 minutes ago22 MEPs Call on EU to Clear Kosovars' visas
Periskopi(8 years ago)
(8 years ago)Recognising the importance of granting visa liberalisation to Kosovo, 22 members of the European Parliament by political groups have addressed an open letter to Council of Europe President Donald Tusk, as well as to the head of Austria's Permanent Representative Nikolaus Marschik. This letter comes before the Council of Europe meeting me [...]
Recognising the importance of granting visa liberalisation to Kosovo, 22 members of the European Parliament by political groups have addressed an open letter to Council of Europe President Donald Tusk, as well as to the head of Austria's Permanent Representative Nikolaus Marschik.
This letter comes before the Council of Europe meeting on December 13th-14th, 2018.
On paper, MEPs stress it is vital to lift Kosovo visas without delay. They call on the Council to appoint a vote on the issue and approve the visa-free regime as soon as possible.
MPs remember that on July 18th of this year, the European Commission has confirmed that Kosovo has met the two exceptional conditions for visa liberalisation such as ratification of the demarcation agreement with Montenegro and the tightening of the fight against crime and corruption, and thus has met all requirements for visa liberalisation.
Our “position is that visa liberalisation will improve stability and bring Kosovo closer to the EU by improving the ease of travel and doing business, while assisting the fight against smuggling and corruption”, it says among other things in this letter that has provided “Koha Ditore”.
Kosovo remains the only country in the Western Balkans whose citizens still need visas to travel to the Schengen Zone. That has only created a sense of isolation affecting the daily lives of Kosovo citizens. We've only witnessed growing a new generation excluded from the rest of united and pro-operative Europe. Visa-free regime presents one of the most tangible and concrete achievements of the country's European perspective. We call on the Council to set a date for voting on this issue and to adopt the visa-free regime for Kosovo without delay to further”, the letter of 22 European Parliament deputies is highlighted.
The signatories of this letter are: Tanja Fajon, Eduard Kukan, Andrey Kovatchev, Angelika Mlinar, Asim Ademiov, Barbara Spinelli, Birgit Sippel, Danielle Viotti, Dubravka Shuica, Eugen Freund, Heinz K. Becker, Igor Sholtes, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Ivo Vajgl, Jordi Sole, Jozo Rados, Knut Flickenstein, Lucas Mandl, Marie-Christine Vergiat, Othmar Karas, Sophie in Veld and Tonino Pillula.
