Deputy Prime Minister Lirak Cellaj: Visa liberalisation won't happen this year

Despite the continued promises of local institutions that during this year Kosovo will be removed visas from the European Union, Deputy European Integration Minister Lirak Celij, has told “Zerin” that the visa liberalisation process will most likely not be completed either during 2019, as some member states have still failed to vote in favour.

Nine years have passed since Kosovo's institutional leaders have begun to pledge that visa liberalisation will happen. But not now, when it has been nearly a decade since the start of visa promises, Kosovo citizens are unable to move freely in the space of Schengen countries.

The liberalisation process will likely not be completed at all this year. Thus they have claimed “Zerin” and officials of the European Integration Ministry (MIE) in Kosovo, who have said some European Union states have not yet been persuaded to vote in favour of liberalisation.

Of the major states that are reluctant in that direction are France and Germany, although Germany, according to MIE officials, has recently shown some positive visa signals.