Haradinaj: Kosovo does not have luxury yet to become part of mini-sengen

Less than a month and a half remain until the end of the year, but incumbent Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj continues to say that visa liberalisation for Kosovars could occur within this year.

He in an interview for KosovoPress says that even though the end of December has drawn close, it remains an option for Kosovo to receive the news of visa liberalisation. While stressing that even though he is prime minister in office, he continues to commit to Kosovo receiving liberalisation within this year.

Haradinaj has also spoken of the Balkan mini-zengen, where he has said he opposes this idea, which he considers dangerous for the country.

Haradinaj: It's still an option in December

The “is still the option in December, so a meeting of the Council of Europe will be held in December, my wish is to enter the agenda. Today I was at an event organised by the Embassy of Finland, they have the EU presidency, they continue to communicate with the German government. We are on the job for the opportunity, so this year's decision happens, we are doing business with other governments but are a little sensitive. There is a real possibility what we wanted is that at least one member of the Council, one country, one state, such as Germany's case that the minister has declared, but now to formalise the decision that concerning Kosovo Germany can travel without visas. This had been good for me before Christmas, before the new year. We're still working, it's pretty tight in time to say right, it's pretty hard is”, he says.

Haradinaj says people may be skeptical because this process has lasted too long, but he says December may be the month when news of visa liberalisation is received.

This promise that visas could be lifted in December Haradinaj says they did not do so for votes, as elections have been conducted.

Haradinaj: It's still optional, it's hard, but it's still optional.

There are skeptics, but there are objections, but there are anger, not only in Kosovo, but also abroad, even in the region that are trying to prevent these processes. I don't do them anymore because of the votes, that people usually remember that we have the problem with the vote, the elections have been conducted I hope that as long as I am in the office, if not tomorrow the next one comes, I hope he has the first day to have the liberalisation. This is something we have lacked, is our right, Kosovo's, we have met the conditions, our citizens deserve it, it's more important that it happens. So it's still optional, it's hard, it's late, it's time spent, but it's still optional. We are not being well co-ordinated, even the position of the opposition, all of us should ask that it happen as soon as it comes” says Haradinaj.

As for the Balkan mini-sengent, Haradinaj says the idea is dangerous for Kosovo.

He says such an idea may be good for the movement of citizens and goods, but that according to him without mutual recognition Kosovo-Serbia, it would be harmful to the country.

Haradinaj: Kosovo does not have luxury yet to become part of this mini-sengenia under these circumstances

“As a principle we are not against the free circulation of ideas, of people, of goods, they are European values and we are engaging for example in Kosovo. - EU, Tirana - EU, Skopje- The EU, each. Now a horizontal organisation between us has the impression that comes most for the interests of China and Russia, they are installed in Serbia, in Belgrade, well in the country, are wishing to remove other border, administrative and fart barriers across our region. Kosovo, for example, has visas for Russian citizens, with this means that when it enters that mini-senge they enter without visas everywhere. For us, it is specific, and I think that Kosovo does not have the luxury yet to become part of this mini-marken under these circumstances, it would change if Serbia recognises Kosovo, we establish bilateral relations, we remove mutual risks, but especially from Serbia for Kosovo, then yes, but in the circumstances already possible for Kosovo to join such development, it is harmful, dangerous for us”, he says.

Haradinaj says that if Kosovo becomes part of such an idea, it could jeopardise visa liberalisation.

Haradinaj: We don't have that privilege to become the same as Serbia

“We have been criticized by Europeans when we wanted to lift visas from any state, they have said on this occasion you lose the right to liberalisation against us. So, we've had several criticisms, and Serbia has gained liberalisation, but it has maintained some relations with several countries in the world, we don't have that privilege to become the same as Serbia, which does not want to enter NATO, which has good relations with Russia, with all others. For us it's quite different”, Haradinaj says.