Criteria have been met for liberalisation, urged to obey France

Criteria for visa liberalisation for Kosovo citizens, according to former chairman of the Commission for European Integration, Blerta Deliu-Codra, have long been met, reports Online Economy.

The same thoughts are shared by former European Integration Ministry Secretary Demush Shasha. He has said that the approach of the new government should convince member states with concrete results in the area of rule of law and in dialogue to normalise Kosovo-Serbia relations.

Former European Integration Commission Chairman Blerta Deliu-Codra told EO that the criteria set by the European Union have been carried out over time, but that says there are additional obligations in relation to a Stabilisation and Association Agreement.

“Now in terms of the visa issue, we have concluded all obligations in relation to the criteria set out with the visa liberalisation guide for of course we have obligations in relation to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, then numerous obligations with the agenda of European reforms that we as institutions are obliged to undertake the measures because there will naturally be development of the obligations criteria that we have with the guide and at the end of the year, of course, it is very important for us as a state that we have fulfilled our obligations and responsibilities that we have taken from the European Union<> she said.

Delays in institution building, according to Deliu-Coder, are going to the expense of the integration agenda. It says even the reluctance of member states is affecting that Kosovo does not have visa liberalisation.

Therefore, I am also saying that delays in the institution's constitutionalisation will go to the expense of Kosovo's integration agenda. On the other hand, we also have a political situation where there are states that, for their internal affairs, still show their reluctance in the visa report despite the fact that it is grossly unfair, despite the fact that Kosovo has fulfilled its obligation in relation to free movement, despite the fact that we remain the only country means in the Western Balkans that we have no power to move freely”.

“ ... but I believe it will greatly deepen this crisis of ours in relation to our integration agenda because we will not be able to have meetings with states that may have hesitations because the executive is not functional, because the legislature has held only a constant meeting and has not yet. says nothing in this direction and of course any delay will cause either procrastination of the process or of our integration agenda not only in relation to Europe, but also in relation to regional initiatives in relation to the Western Balkans and other meetings that Kosovo should play as state”, she has said.

Meanwhile, integration affairs connoisseur Demush Shasha says the reluctance of member states, especially France, think Kosovo has not met the criteria.

“The issue of visa liberalisation for Kosovo, as well as any issue of the integration process not only for Kosovo but also for the Balkans, is complex, since on the one hand, the European Commission has confirmed that Kosovo has met the visa liberalisation criteria, while the European Parliament has also confirmed that Kosovo has not met the criteria, on the other hand, we have some EU member states which do not think that way and in this direction should mention France, since the French ambassador to Kosovo and the foreign ministry of this state have officially confirmed that they do not share the same opinion, they do not consider that Kosovo has not fulfilled the conditions, he said.

Shasha has also indicated the reasons why these member states are not agreeing that Kosovo has visa liberalisation.

The first “is, the issue of rule of law. The lack of concrete results in the area of rule of law. The second is, the lack of progress in dialogue on normalising Kosovo-Serbia relations. Now dialogue is not a concrete condition under this process but a prerequisite of any integration process of Kosovo, so Kosovo cannot at the moment count on visa liberalisation without progress in these two areas, such as dialogue for normalising Kosovo-Serbia relations and progress in the area of rule of law”, Shasha has said of Online Economy.

Shasha has said that the approach of the new government should convince member states with concrete results in the area of rule of law and in dialogue on normalising Kosovo-Serbia relations.