For Kosovo officials, visa liberalisation issue conducted

Kosovo institutions do not expect surprises from the European Union when visa liberalisation is at stake. In the Government of Kosovo, but also in other state institutions, they strongly believe that by the end of this year Kosovo citizens will be able to move freely and without visas to the Schengen area.

According to officials in Pristina, Kosovo has carried out its part of meeting the criteria and that now the stop has remained in the field of the European Union and member states to make the decision to abolish visas for Kosovo citizens.

Minister of European Integration in the Government of Kosovo, Gift Hoxha, tells Radio Free Europe that expectations are real and, according to her, that optimism has worked hard.

“Optimism is based on the work that has been done because we have really done a great job, but also [optimism] is based on our contacts in the declarations of the European Union institutions. Several days ago you saw Kosovo's rapporteur at the European Parliament Mr. Soltes, who himself declared that it is optimistic that liberalisation will occur by the end of”, Hoxha said.

After several meetings with political representatives and civil society, the rapporteur for Kosovo in the European Parliament, Igor Soltes, a few days ago has expressed his optimism that visa liberalisation for Kosovo citizens will be allowed by the end of this year.

Integration Minister said Kosovo institutions in general and the Ministry of Integration in particular have worked, at a rapid pace in meeting the remaining criteria for liberalisation by the European Union.

“We have huge progress that has been made in this area. But we should not link the fight against crime and corruption in a general way, so for the European integration process because there will be more required. This should be done more for our citizens, to strengthen the rule of law”, Hoxha said.

Members of Kosovo's various civil society and journalists have already written an open letter to the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, through which they have requested visa liberalisation for Kosovo citizens. In this letter they have counted even the reasons why Kosovo citizens do not deserve to remain the only isolated people in the region.

Emrush Ujkan, professor of European Law, speaking of Radio Free Europe, stresses that in terms of the visa liberalisation process, Kosovo has done work, but, he says, it still needs to be careful in statements made on the part of government officials.

I would be more reserved, otherwise said it is not that I share the same opinion with officials in many ways, for the sake of being careful in all of what we talk about and what we promise public opinion, citizens are also tired of those promises, I think I would be more reserved than the decision-making depends on the EU from the member state, including Spain, which should be carefully analysed, said Wojan.

However, says Professor Wolfani, a postponement of the visa liberalisation process for 2019 would be catastrophic for Kosovo.

Because in 2019, the European Parliament enters the elections and the new legislature cannot be constitutionalised and I really don't expect a decision in 2019”, Wojan said.

During June, the EU is expected to give its first assessment of the criteria met. Among the key criteria is that of evidence that Kosovo is fighting organised crime and corruption. If EU bodies reconfirm their will for visa liberalisation, then it also remains for EU member states to make their decisions.

The expectations from Kosovo institutions are for these EU procedures to be completed by the end of this year.