Kosovo visa lack, consequence of EU fatigue from migration

Kosovo's European Integration Minister, Gift Hoxha, has said on Wednesday before the Kosovo Parliamentary Commission for Foreign Affairs that France, the Netherlands and Belgium have visa liberalisation dilemmas for Kosovo citizens.

It has suggested that France's concern or dilemma is linked to migration and misuse of liberalisation by some countries that already have the visa-free travel regime.

Taulant Kryeziu from the Kosovo Institute for European Policy (EPIK), speaking of Radio Free Europe, says the attitudes of the European Union's powerful countries are clear and visa liberalisation for Kosovo is closely linked to the issue of fighting organised crime and corruption in high profiles in the country.

Kosovo has not shown positive examples in this direction. The rule of the law is the subject and we have not helped these reluctant countries push the visa issue forward, but we have only deepened the gap of doubts they have related to Kosovo. As for the issue of migration and the departure of our citizens I'm talking, mostly about youth, the message that goes to them by the leaders of this ruling coalition, is that there is no competition of knowledge”, Kryeziu points out.

He adds that young people are convinced that in employment contests conducted under institutions, there is no competition of knowledge and does not win the best, but win political party lists. This, according to him, keeps young people from finding themselves in their own country and creates emigrating potential.

Sociologist Fadil Maloku, professor at Pristina University, tells of Radio Free Europe that if visa liberalisation for Kosovo is questioned because of the EU countries' fear of misuse practices, which are seen as experience with some states that already have a visa-free travel regime, then Kosovo in this case is, as he calls collateral damage.

It's definitely collateral damage. But I think that non-visa liberalisation is a consequence of the European Union's own research process, which with this new conspiracy, where rightists are dominant, try to co-ordinate foreign policies, especially when it comes to the migration process. But, I don't think that small Kosovo, with this population, is a problem, the reasoning that France and other countries have given”, Maloku stressed.

He added that the problem of visa non-visa for Kosovo is political, and according to him, it is a condition that negotiations begin with Serbia, if the two countries want to account for new European architecture.

The EU countries view this issue only from the political problem. Because, not to forget, Europe has essential problems with the nighting and eventual migration of young people from all over Europe, in some way, as the Germans say, is cultural wealth for them, but also economic benefits”

I don't think Kosovo would present serious obstacles like other countries. But, in Kosovo's case, the problem is political because of the topic of negotiations Kosovo should do with Serbia. Rather, it is a disciplinary pretext for Kosovo and the current government, as a preparation for negotiations, which await Kosovo”, Maloku points out.

Kryeziu, however, expresses the opinion that Kosovo is not entitled to deal with the issue of internal deployment of EU member states. According to him, in 2016, it has been an extremely positive moment for Kosovo to receive visa liberalisation, but this case has not been exploited due to political parties' polarisations over the border demarcation issue with Montenegro.

“Now is a new moment and there is already another mood within EU member states. Do they have problems? We know they do. But what have we done for our share of responsibility? The rest of the medal, which he met us, we didn't do”, Kryeziu estimates.

The visa liberalisation process between Kosovo and the EU began in 2012. Kosovo has already met the 95 criteria set by the European Commission to receive its positive recommendation for visa liberalisation.

Such a recommendation, the European Commission has made in July 2018, while in September that same year, the European Parliament has voted in favour of visa liberalisation for Kosovo.

Later, in December of last year, the Council of Ministers has not put the visa liberalisation issue for Kosovo at all on its agenda.