EU: There is still work on meeting the last visa criteria

The European Commission is expected next week to publish the assessment report for visa liberalisation for Kosovo.

If green light is given to free movement of citizens, depending on this report that will show whether the country has met the last visa criteria, fighting organised crime and corruption.

Officials from the European Commission have indicated that the assessment of the fight against organised crime and corruption is still continuing.

“in 2016, the Commission submitted its proposal for visa liberalisation for Kosovo, meaning that by the day of its approval by Parliament and the European Council, Kosovo will have ratified the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro and strengthened its data in the fight against organised crime and corruption. Kosovo has ratified the border sharing agreement with Montenegro on March 21st. When it comes to the fight against organised crime and corruption, the assessment continues”, this answer to Indexline.

While it has added that if conditions have been met, the Commission's proposal must be formally approved by the European Parliament and the Council.

Asked us this year will remove the visa regime, The EC has suggested that we refer to a statement by the European Union Commissioner (BE) for Migration, Dimitris Avramoopoulos, who gave it this week.

Avrampouls has not shown any deadlines for visa liberalisation, but has indicated that visas will soon be given to Western Balkan countries.

Kosovo has met some key conditions as demarcation, but there is still work on fighting organised crime and corruption. We're monitoring and there's a process going on. Soon the visa issue will end for the entire Western Balkan region”, he has said.

Otherwise, this month political officials have lobbied in several EU countries for their support in the visa liberalisation process.