Bulgaria criticises EU for Kosovo's non-liberalisation of visas

Among the conditions was the demarcation of the border with Montenegro, whose ratification the agreement was not reached for about 3 years, but even after its ratification in the Kosovo Assembly, liberalisation did not happen.

Bulgaria's Foreign Minister, Ekaterina Zaharieva, has asked the EU to fulfil its promises “in exchange for reforms requiring them from Balkan countries, Koha.net broadcasts.

The “we promised Kosovo it would gain visa liberalisation if they met the terms they did, and a year later there is no liberalisation”, Zaharieva said during a conference held in the Bulgarian town of Plovdiv on Wednesday. “When the EU does not fulfill its promises, it will lose confidence” of those countries, it has added, reports “Bloomberg”.

Without a clear commitment and oversight of the war-torn region, analysts predict the French atmosphere in the Western Balkans. This risks deepening the power struggle in the region between the West, Russia, China and the Middle East.

Regional policy “is troubled”, said Timothy Les, project leader at the Darwin College Geopolitical Forum, Cambridge University. “Shoh more political unrest in the coming years and transition to authoritarianism, as frustrated people especially rural and working classes urge their leaders to maintain order and security”.