Minister says Kosovars will move without visas within this year

During reporting before the European Integration Commission Hoxha has said that Kosovo has already met the required criteria and is now in the power of the EU to decide.

Minister Hoxha said that under EC President Jean Claude Juncker's visit, Kosovo institutions have submitted the report to meet the second criterion, respectively, the ongoing fight against organised crime and corruption.

“Under the Joint Seriosis Crime Fight Team, the Special Prosecutor's leadership has been singled out 39 cases, 30 indictments have been filed, 23 cases are on different scales of judicial review, and 7 cases have been closed in the form of a cut” ruling, Hoxha said.

On the other hand, Hoxha said our assessment is that for the purposes of visa liberalisation, the criteria for fighting corruption and organised crime are fulfilled.

Of course, we are aware that the fight against this phenomenon should intensify even more, since progress in this area is initially in the interest of our citizens, and then of the European Union”, she said, Koha.net reported.

Our goal, the European Integration Minister said, is to complete all necessary EU institutional procedures this year to ensure the change of the European Union's 539/2001 regulation and therefore the free movement of citizens of the Republic of Kosovo.

This goal, according to her, implies the following steps:

1. The start of negotiations on completing changes to Rule 539/2001 between the EU's three main institutions: European Commission, EU Council and European Parliament;

2. Approval of Order at the plenary session of the European Parliament;

3. Approval of Order by the Council of Ministers;

4. The signing ceremony;

5. Publishing in official newspaper; and

6. Enter into force.

We expect the entire proposed procedure to not take more than six months. This is a time experience in Georgia's case. However, it must be underlined that Kosovo institutions have now completed their duties, and the responsibility is on the side of EU institutions to take institutional steps in the short term”, she added.

Hoxha also explained the voting procedure in the European Council, saying this vote would be based on a double majority, or in other words, should vote on 16 member states representing at least 65% of the EU population. While at the plenary session of the European Parliament, the vote will take place in a simple majority in the first and final reading with absolute majority.

“At the end of the day, I want to underline that much work still awaits us, and the process will continue according to relevant procedures. I as Minister of Integration will continue intensive work in co-operation with all state institutions to complete the visa liberalisation process”, Minister Hoxha said.

After this statement, the deputy of the Victoryist Self-Determination Movement Pacolli has reacted, which has said a report by three EU experts on visa liberalisation, which has been handed over to the Ministry of Integration, has not made it public.

According to Pacolli, it claims that Kosovo has failed to fight crime and corruption, calling the justice system failed, politically and passively seized and against these cases.

Now we're talking about lobbies that we have to do in countries, so demarcation wasn't the only condition. I don't believe these cases are enough, you're required to create a record of cases, a registry of seizures, none of them were made, you brought a two-page report, which doesn't show anything new”, Pacolli said.

It's the criterion that should constantly be addressed, we expect this year to move without visas, but I want to stress that everything is now in the hands of the EU. Lobbim is a process that must continue”, Minister Hoxha said.

“Demarketing indicates that we have a less problem on this road. These are the references to you, you mentioned them, but we all know it's zero. By the way it is, we are away from”, said Armendi Zemaj, commission member and LDK deputy.