Conditions Kosovo needs to meet for visa removal

On January 23rd, it is scheduled to hold the EU Council's next meeting responsible for lifting visas for Kosovo, but it is estimated that the likelihood is minimal at this meeting to give the green light to Kosovo's free movement. Although EU states continue not to be unified on this process, the Kosovo Ministry of Integration says 2020 is hopeful for visa liberalisation.

On the other hand, the connoisseur of integration issues, Besnik Vasolli, for “Zrin” has stressed that despite statements by EU officials that Kosovo has met the criteria for visa removal, still some EU states see the war Kosovo has fought in the field of rule of law as a failure.

“This is the official European Commission position since they have published the monitoring report on implementation of the criteria for visa liberalisation. So, Mrs. Apostolova has defended the European Commission's assessment. The problem lies with EU member states, which have concerns about migration from Kosovo, but also assess Kosovo's war in the field of rule of law, respectively, in fighting organised crime and corruption”, Vasloi has said.

And to convince the EU's skeptical states, according to Vasol, Kosovo must present concrete results in the fight against organised crime and corruption. After that, the lobby of Kosovo institutions in France, the Netherlands and Germany must continue. So to convince skeptical states the Kosovo Prosecutor and judiciary should best present their results, solve cases as soon as they can and thus prove their seriousness. And seriousness is measured in actual numbers and values, where the success achieved and we have very little success to report. And when we have a showdown, then we're going to have to undertake a series of lobbies in decision-making places, like. In France, in the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, etc.”, Vasoli is later expressed.