“Visa URI” for Kosovo citizens

Mustafa, who is a doctor by profession, tells Radio Free Europe that Kosovo citizens have faced difficulties traveling earlier because of the visa regime.

But, he adds, during the past year, travel to some EU country is almost impossible.

“During pandemic, travel has become even more difficult”, Mustafa says.

Kosovo is the only country in the Western Balkans region that has not been approved visa liberalisation.

The Greek Office for Liaison with Kosovo, which issues so-called “Schengen”, also confirms that the visa-taking process for Kosovo citizens has been difficult.

These visas are valid for travel to any Schengen zone country except Greece. The Schengen zone includes Germany, France, Austria, Belgium, Italy and other EU member states.

The consular department of the Greek Liaison Office in Pristina has never stopped issuing visas during the pandemic, but due to restrictions on crossing borders in all countries, including Greece, visas can only be issued to persons engaged in special work or in serious emergency case”, the Greek Free Office in Kosovo told Radio Europe.

During the pandemic, tourist agencies in Kosovo can mainly find travel bids to countries in the region, such as Albania or Montenegro, but also in Turkey, because for entry into this country, no visa is needed.

On May 3rd, the European Commission proposed facilitating travel restrictions for citizens of so-called third countries, in which Kosovo is part.

But the ease of the measures will be applied to those who have received an anti-cronavirus vaccine approved by the European Bars Agency (EMA).

That means those who took the Pfizer vaccine. BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson&Johnson or AstraZeneca can travel to European countries.

Hylije Mustafa, as a health worker, has received the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine and hopes that after taking the second dose, there will be more chances to secure a travel visa.

If I have proof that I have taken the vaccine, it might be easier to obtain a visa in the future”, she says.

From the Kosovo Ministry of Health say that <x0). Every citizen who receives the vaccine against the Coronobrus gets a card that proves to have received one or two doses of vaccine, accession date, vaccine type and other personal data”.

On May 4th, over 4,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine have reached Kosovo. BioNTech, as a donation from the European Union.

The next <x0.>The stake, some 90,000 doses that have divided the EU for Kosovo, will arrive within a week”, the Health Ministry said, noting also that another Astra-Zeneca vaccine container should arrive in Kosovo next week.

The first 24,000 dose contingent of AstraZeneca vaccine has arrived in Kosovo on 28 March, from the World Health Organisation's COVAX programme.

The first dose of this vaccine, within the first phase of immunization, has been taken by health workers, persons over 80 and chronically ill. They should take the second dose when additional vaccines from AstraZeneca Company arrive.

In the second phase, people aged 65 to 79 are expected to be vaccinated, chronically ill persons, education personnel and security forces involved in managing the situation during the coronary pandemic.

In the third phase, mass citizen vaccine will begin, but the Kosovo Health Ministry cannot specify when it can begin.