Kosovo EP rapporteur: France, Germany, Netherlands slowed the liberalisation process

Due to strong opposition from France, Germany and the Netherlands, Kosovo citizens still cannot travel visa-free to European countries, despite having met all criteria for the visa liberalisation process.

The rapporteur for Kosovo in the European Parliament, Violet von Cromon, has announced about news.net, that France, Germany and the Netherlands have been the main forces in the EP that have opposed visa liberalisation.

She has said that at Tuesday's meeting in the middle of Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti and France's president, Emmanuel Macron, the visa liberalisation issue has also been discussed, and that according to her, this is an important sign.

The “has been discussed between Prime Minister Hoti and President Macron at Tuesday's bilatheral meeting, which is an important sign since, until now, France, Germany and the Netherlands have been the main forces slowing down the” process, said Violet von Croamon for news.net.

We stress that US President Donald Trump's special envoy, for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue Richard Green, has also asked the EU at the July 10th meeting to conclude the issue of visa liberalisation for Kosovars.

From Borell's Office for News.net have indicated that visa liberalisation for Kosovars continues to be their target, while the European Commission has also estimated that Kosovo has met the standards for liberalisation.

Furthermore in their response, the proposal for visa liberalisation for Kosovars is put on hold on the Council, but also stressed that it should be addressed as urgent issues.

We stress that since July 1st, when Germany has assumed the EU presidency for six months, Kosovo officials have voiced optimism that it will complete visa liberalisation this year.

However, even during Tuesday more than 40 European Parliament deputies have written letters to France's President Emmanuel Macron and Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte, through which they demand that the EU liberalise visas with Kosovo.

These two leaders of EU member states are considered the strongest opponents of visa liberalisation with Kosovo, because their countries have not supported such a decision in the EU Council.

“The EU is trying to play the role of an impartial mediator in dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. However, this will not be possible if we continue to treat the citizens of these two countries in different ways, offering free travel to the citizens of Serbia and putting up obstacles to enjoy the same opportunity for those of Kosovo”, this letter says.

This letter has been made public on the very day Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti met with President Emmanuel Macron in Paris with President Emmanuel, and when dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia is expected to resume in Brussels on 12 July.