European Council Kosovo: There's nothing new about visas

The Council of the European Union will also this year approve conclusions for the enlargement process and the process of stabilisation and association with Western Balkan countries, through which it will extend an emergency invitation for reforms and for fighting organised crime and corruption.

The Conculous Draft has already been prepared and their text is in the process of approval by representatives of the European Union member states.

In this draft, whose text has seen Radio Free Europe, Kosovo is invited to urgently improve efforts to improve rule of law, increase its fight against organised crime and corruption, as well as public administration reforms.

Kosovo also requires continued commitment to Specialised Chambers, in full compliance with its international obligations, local laws and as a way to prove sincere efforts to rule the law, fundamental freedoms, justice and reconciliation.

Both in the part dedicated to Kosovo and to Serbia, the Council of the European bloc, through these draft conflicts, requires that they continue to engage in goodwill dialogue and in the spirit of co-operation and compromise in order to reach a comprehensive, legally binding agreement and in accordance with international law and EU laws.

The council will invite parties to respect and implement all agreements reached so far in the dialogue process.

The Council recalls that progress in normalising reports with Serbia is a fundamental principle of the Stabilisation Agreement - Association and is the basis for development of reports and co-operation between the EU and Kosovo”, the document says.

There is no news as to visa liberalisation.

This draft just repeats that “The Council understands the importance of visa liberalisation for Kosovo citizens”, says that “proposal is under consideration at Council” and is reminded that the European Commission had proposed since 2018 that Kosovo's visas be removed.

The EU Council, as stated in the text prepared for these conflicts, which must be approved by member states, urges Serbia to continue processing war crime cases. Also required by Serbia to prevent the legalisation of war criminals.

Of all Balkan states, they are required to adjust their positions with the EU on foreign policy issues, especially for the restrictive measures the EU adopts for third states.

The text of these concerts, which also have the general share for the region but also the individual ones for each country, is a kind of summary of the European Commission's findings, which have been published in the previously adopted enlargement package and progress reports.

Although this document also mentions the expectation that “earlier” start membership negotiations between the EU and northern Macedonia and Albania, no date of when this could happen is mentioned.